Go Fly a Kite: Avatar The Last Airbender Musical
by Elysian III
Summary: Not all that long ago, the four nations came together...to harmonize! Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, can bring balance to the stage. We believe that Aang can steal the show...do you?
1. Scenes and Musical Numbers

**SCENES AND MUSICAL NUMBERS**

 **CAST OF CHARACTERS**

(In Order of Appearance)

Katara…Katara

Sokka…Sokka

Aang…...Aang

Zuko…Zuko

Please, please, PLEASE tell me you get the idea!

 **UNDERSTUDIES**

 _Understudies for Aang—_ Roku, Korra

 _Understudy for Katara—_ Joo Dee

 _Understudy for Sokka—_ Banjo Hippie

 _For Toph—_ Ty Lee

 _For Zuko—_ Iroh

 **ENSEMBLES:**

 **The Kyoshi Warriors**

 **The Aang Gang**

Aang, Sokka, Katara, Toph, (Zuko)

 **WHO'S WHO in the Cast**

AANG ( _Aang_ ) was discovered while shoveling snow in the driveway. He has no previous theatre experience, and would actually prefer not to be cast as the Avatar (that Cabbage guy role seems pretty fun).

AVATAR ROKU ( _Avatar Roku_ ) is a connoisseur of Sam's Club free samples. In his free time, he can be found wandering the labyrinthine aisles, and the production team has had to track him down on more than one occasion for rehearsals. Avatar Roku regrets nothing.

AZULA ( _Azula_ ) made her Broadway debut as Berthe in _Jane Eyre_ , before taking a more centralized role in _Riddle-De-Dee: The Voldemort Musical_ as Bellatrix Lestrange, for which she won the Bat-Shit Crazy Award. She wants to say thank you to her advisers, Lo and Li, for loaning her the Alka-Seltzer tablets, without which her foaming mouth would not have been possible.

BUMI ( _Bumi_ ) is bonkers—and proud of it! Ha ha ha!

CABBAGE MERCHANT ( _Cabbage Merchant_ ) has only appeared onstage once in _Death of a Salesman_. As far as he's concerned, the salesman was lucky.

HARU ( _Haru_ ) is the king of meaningless cameos. But hey, at least he grew a mustache, right?

IROH ( _Iroh_ ) is pleased to join this production after his recent success with his one-man show, _The Lotus Dragon_ , which sold out for three months straight at the Ba Sing Se box office. What can we say? Everyone loves Iroh!

JET ( _Jet_ ) was not available for comment at this time.

JOO DEE ( _Joo Dee_ ) is making her theatrical debut after attempting to join the Ember Island Players traveling troupe. Six times in a row. The fact that even _they_ didn't want to cast her is telling in itself.

KATARA ( _Katara_ ) could be the very best that no one ever was. Now that she's mastered waterbending and helped save the world several times over, she looks forward to starting her career as a Pokemon trainer. Katara hopes to one day open her very own Pokemon gym in Ba Sing Se. Gotta catch 'em all….Avatar!

LONG FENG ( _Long Feng_ ) is renowned for playing a certain type of role as Judas Iscariot in _Godspell_ , Brutus in _Julius Caesar_ , and Benedict Arnold in the one-time off-Broadway production of _Paul Revere, Will You Light My Candle?_ He would like the entire audience to know that the king invites them all to Lake Laogai following the show.

MAI ( _Mai_ ) flatly refused to provide a bio, and after the third shuriken thrown at the production team, we didn't really feel like pressing our luck any further.

OZAI ( _Ozai_ ) has been given temporary leave for the duration of this show from the Fire Nation prison, where he is the reigning champion of stuffing marshmallows in his mouth. All hail the Phoenix King of Chubby Bunny!

PAKKU ( _Pakku_ ) wants to tell Sokka for the last time, he is _not_ Gramps-Gramps!

PRINCESS YUE ( _Princess Yue_ ) is thrilled to be making the transition from film to theatre, having previously provided the voice of Sailor Moon in the anime series _Sailor Moon_.

SOKKA ( _Sokka_ ) turned down the offer of playing Jasper Hale in _Dazzle and Stretch: The Twilight Musical_ in order to appear in this show, and doesn't regret it one little bit. Shout out to his moon and stars, Suki (Uh, scratch that! He meant just stars!)

SUKI (Suki) is making her theatre debut. In addition to playing Suki, she also lent her extensive combat experience as fight choreographer for the show.

TOPH ( _Toph)_ had to be cajoled into participating in this show, as she only recently went into seclusion in a quite comfy cave far away from anyone and everyone. She plans on returning to her hermitage as soon as this show's run is over. In the meantime, she wants to thank her neighbor and fellow hermit, Plays With Squirrels, for looking after her bees while she's away. Happy Anniversary to you and your moose!

TY LEE ( _Ty Lee_ ) has loads of experience in entertainment, not just as a circus performer, but also in ballet ( _Swan Lake_ , _The Nutcracker_ , _Gisele_ , _Sleeping Beauty, The Firebird),_ opera ( _La Triviata, Carmen, La Boheme, Don Juan Triumphant, The Magic Flute),_ as well as musicals ( _Aida, The Sound of Music, My Fair Lady, West Side Story_ ). She was more than happy to help the production team with the dance choreography in this show. After this production, she is signed to star in the Cirque de Soleil show _Avatar: Phantom of the Stage_.

ZHAO (Zhao) was a bit difficult to reach to provide a bio, what with his being swallowed by spirits and all…still, the production team is sure that he's thrilled to be a part of the show.

ZUKO ( _Zuko)_ is no stranger to the stage, having starred in a number of different productions, including Fiyero in _Wicked_ , Pippin in _Pippin_ , Marius in _Les Miserables_ , and Aaron in _First Date_. Following completion of this show, he plans to devote his time writing his own musical, _Honor to Us All_.

 **Scenes and Musical Numbers**

 **Act 1: Water**

 **Scene 1: Avatar Lost and Found**

"Where is the Avatar?"…..Katara

"Avatar Found"…..Katara, Sokka, and Aang

"Honor Bound"…..Zuko

 **Scene 2: Tales of Travel**

"Last Airbender"…..Aang

"Friends in Odd Places"…..The Kyoshi Warriors, Suki, Bumi, Haru and Avatar Roku

"Shades of Gray"…..Sokka, Aang, Katara, Jet, and Zuko

 **Scene 3: The Water Tribe**

"Northern Tribe"…..Aang, Katara, Pakku, Sokka and Princess Yue

"The Madness of Zhao"…..Zhao and Iroh

"Saving the Spirits"…..Iroh, Katara, Aang and Princess Yue

 **Act 2: Earth**

 **Scene 1: New Friends and Enemies**

"New Enemies"…..Azula, Mai, Ty Lee and Ozai

"Cabbage Man's Lament"…..Cabbage Merchant

"The Tophest Master"…Toph

 **Scene 2: The Earth Kingdom**

"We'll Find It"…..The Aang Gang

"Ba Sing Se"…..Joo Dee, Long Feng, Iroh, Zuko, Jet, and Aang

 **Scene 3: Downhill From Here**

"Split Problems"…The Aang Gang

"Shades of Grey Reprise"…..Katara and Zuko

"Fall of Ba Sing Se"…..Azula, Zuko, Aang, Iroh, Katara

 **Act 3: Fire**

 **Scene 1: The Fire Nation**

"Hidden Hero"…..Aang and Katara

"I'm the Fighter of the Group"…..Sokka

 **Scene 2: Mustering Sides**

"Eclipse Attack"…..The Aang Gang and Azula

"Field Trips With Zuko"…..The Aang Gang and Zuko

"Phoenix King"…Ozai and Azula

 **Scene 3: The Final Battle**

"The Madness of Azula Reprise"…..Azula and Zuko

"Should I Kill You?"…..Aang

"Peace at Last"…..Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, Sokka, Aang, and Katara

THERE WILL BE TWO 10 MINUTE INTERMISSIONS

All should note that futuristic communication and photo-capturing gadgets have not yet been invented, and are therefore not allowed within the theatre.


	2. 1-1 Avatar Lost and Found

1.1 Avatar Lost and Found

On either side of the closed curtain are icebergs, setting the stage in a simple but effective way. The darkened theatre is suddenly pierced by a single spotlight, revealing a young teenage girl in blue Water Tribe dress standing in the very center of the stage. Her dark hair, pulled back into a unique style, is uncovered by the fur-rimmed hood of her heavy coat.

The curtain opens behind Katara. A waterbender, earthbender, firebender and airbender are standing in a straight line onstage. Avatar Roku stands in the middle. As Katara begins to sing, the benders begin dancing, bending their respective elements simultaneously.

 **"Where is the Avatar?"**

(To the tune of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" by the Beatles)

Sung by Katara

Katara _: Water, earth, fire, air, the element forces_

 _Old stories are told where the balance was kept_

 _Between all nations, the Avatar kept peace_

 _Then all of a sudden it snapped!_

 _The Fire Nation struck, and our only chance:_

 _The Avatar, who we count on,_

 _But just when the world was in need of him most,_

 _He was gone!_

As Katara starts into the chorus, Avatar Roku drops a smoke pellet and disappears through a trapdoor onstage. The benders break into two separate groups, with the firebender on one side of the stage and the other three on the other side.

 _Where, oh where on earth is the Avatar?_

 _Where, oh where on earth is the Avatar?_

 _Where, oh where on earth is the Avatar?_

One by one, the firebender shoots fire at the other three, causing them to exit the stage, performing intricate flips and handsprings. First the airbender, then the waterbender, then the earthbender exit. At last, only the firebender is left onstage behind the still-singing Katara, dancing and simply showing off.

 _Now it's been over a hundred years since then_

 _And the Fire Nation is near victory_

 _All of the men who once lived in our village_

 _Are now off and fighting at sea_

 _And though some think that the cycle has stopped,_

 _The Avatar truly is gone,_

 _I still believe there is reason to hope_

 _He lives on!_

 _Where, oh where, on earth is the Avatar?_

 _Where, oh where, on earth is the Avatar?_

 _Where, oh where, on earth is the Avatar?_

The firebender at last exits the stage, blowing a fiery kiss at Katara as she leaves. Katara is left alone only momentarily, as she is joined onstage almost immediately by a teenage boy with a wolf tail ponytail. Sokka takes out his boomerang and waves it in the air, swaying with the beat.

 _Water, earth, fire, air, the element forces_

 _Old stories are told where the balance was kept_

 _Between all the nations, the Avatar kept peace_

 _Then all of a sudden it snapped!_

 _Where, oh where, on earth is the Avatar?_

 _Where, oh where, on earth is the Avatar?_

 _Where, oh where, on earth is the Avatar?_

As the song ends, Katara and Sokka are both swaying onstage, their arms draped around each other's shoulders. They keep swaying for a few seconds, then glance at each other and break apart as though afraid of catching a disease.

"Sisters can be so clingy," Sokka mutters under his breath. Katara gives him a dirty look. She performs a complicated motion with her hands, and a stream of water rises from one of the icebergs, hitting Sokka in the back of the head. He leaps and spins, glancing around. Seeing nothing behind him, he looks at his sister suspiciously.

"Was that you?" He asks.

Katara gives him an innocent look. "What do I look like, a waterbender?"

He throws his hands in the air in exasperation, "Of course you do!" Katara merely shrugs, smirking.

Sokka turns his back, pulling out a fishing pole and sitting down on the edge of the stage. His fishing line trails down into the orchestra pit and out of sight. Katara begins moving her arms again, pulling another string of water from the iceberg and positioning it over her brother's head. A single drop falls on Sokka's nose. He wrinkles it and scratches it with one hand before returning to his fishing.

Another drop falls. Sokka sneezes.

Katara pulls even more water from the iceberg, and begins forming it into a large ball. The iceberg gets smaller and smaller as her waterbomb grows. Just as she's preparing to drop the entire thing on top of her brother's head, the iceberg breaks open with a resounding _crack!_ Both siblings startle at the sound, and the waterbomb drops onto Sokka's head, right on target.

His annoyed exasperation is interrupted as Katara gasps, pointing at the iceberg. The front layer of ice had fallen away, revealing a boy frozen in its depths. He sits cross-legged as though meditating.

Katara leans forward and blows on the ice, rubbing it as though to clean it. Sokka peers at the boy from behind her. He taps the ice right at the point where the boy's nose is. His sister slaps his hand away. Still staring at the frozen figure, she begins to sing:

 **"Avatar Found"**

(To the tune of "Get Down Tonight" by KC & the Sunshine Band)

Sung by Katara, Sokka, and Aang

Katara: _Sokka, Sokka_

 _You see what I see?_

 _In the iceberg, see that boy?_

 _I'm gonna free him, I'll free him,_

 _Bending, I'll employ_

During the first verse, Katara runs her finger down the iceberg, causing it to crack wide open. Aang, released at last from his frozen prison, leaps into the air. He immediately creates a tornado in the middle of the stage and begins surfing on it.

Katara and Sokka: _We have found a boy_

 _And he can bend air_

 _The Avatar!_

 _The Avatar!_

 _We have found a boy_

 _And he can bend air_

 _The Avatar!_

 _The Avatar!_

Letting the tornado underneath him, Aang whips out his glider and starts flying around the stage, singing as he flies. Sokka and Katara crane their necks to follow his flight.

Aang: _Hey there, guys_

 _Watch me fly,_

 _With this, my kite_

 _I've been stuck there for awhile_

 _It feels good to take flight_

Katara and Sokka: _We have found a boy_

 _And he can bend air_

 _The Avatar!_

 _The Avatar!_

 _We have found a boy_

 _And he can bend air_

 _The Avatar!_

 _The Avatar!_

Aang lands his glider beside the two siblings and snaps it closed. With a wide grin, he greets them. "Hey! How's it going? You seen my flying bison anywhere?"

Jaws agape, it takes Katara and Sokka a minute to recover their surprise. Finally, Katara manages to squeak out, "Flying…bison?" at the same moment Sokka exclaims "Dude! You were flying!"

Aang nods. He opens his mouth to respond when he is interrupted by the growling of his own stomach. He clutches his middle. "Man, I'm hungry. And I really gotta pee."

Katara clucks her tongue in sympathy. "You can come back to our igloo, if you want."

Completely ignoring the interaction between the airbender and his sister, Sokka clutches both sides of his head. " _Dude_." He repeats, " _You were flying!_ " Katara elbows him and begins walking offstage. Aang shrugs, says casually, "Yeah, I'm an airbender." and goes to follow her. He immediately stumbles and grabs his leg, muttering "Oh, cramp!"

Sokka hooks a hand under Aang's armpit and pulls him back up. He then crouches in front of the younger boy and gestures to his back. Taking the cue, Aang climbs on for a piggyback ride, and the three exit the stage. Mere seconds after they disappear from sight, a shout from Aang is heard: "There you are, Appa!"

After the trio have exited, another teenager with a scarred eye enters from the other side of the stage, followed by an older man with gray hair. Both Zuko and Iroh are dressed in colors of the Fire Nation. Iroh holds a small teacup in one hand and a teapot in the other, which he uses to refill the cup every few seconds after downing each drink. Zuko, on the other hand, holds a spyglass to his uninjured eye, looking all around the stage. Coming to center stage, he stops and sweeps his gaze around the audience before breaking into song:

 **"Honor Bound"**

(To the tune of "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell)

Sung by Zuko

Zuko: _I've been sailing this whole world_

 _Looking for an old man_

 _Searching for_

 _The avatar that vanished so long ago_

 _To prove myself_

 _That I don't need help_

 _To do something right_

 _For I'm haunted by my long-lost birthright!_

Aang, Katara and Sokka enter again from stage right. The three begin playing jump rope with a string of water that Katara bends. Aang is the one jumping, getting higher and higher every time. Iroh sees them, and attempts to point them out to Zuko, but the Fire Nation prince is too caught up in his tale of woe to notice his prey.

 _I was next in line,_

 _Royalty's design_

 _Then I made a fatal error_

 _Reminded by the scar I bear_

 _I was exiled and my name was shamed!_

 _Honor bound_

 _Honor bound!_

Zuko finally notices his uncle's wild gesturing. Following his gaze, he catches sight of the other three. A rare smile graces his face. He starts chasing Aang around the stage, with Aang laughing merrily the entire time. Each time the prince gets close, Aang jumps out of the way, sometimes flying over Zuko's head to do it. On one occasion, he even playfully pulls on Zuko's ponytail as he passes. All the while, Iroh watches from the sidelines, smiling benignly as the Fire Nation prince continues singing of his angst.

 _Now I've found what I've been_

 _Looking for, the one I'm_

 _Searching for_

 _Though he's not as old as I thought he'd be_

 _This kid's the one_

 _And now he's found, our enmity's begun!_

 _I'll be hot onto his trail_

 _And I know that I'll at last prevail_

 _I was next in line,_

 _Royalty's design_

 _Then I made a fatal error_

 _Reminded by the scar I bear_

 _I was exiled and my name was shamed!_

 _Honor bound_

 _Honor bound_

At last, Zuko stops his pursuit of the Avatar, placing his hands on his knees and panting out of sheer exhaustion. The trio run off stage yelling "Yip yip!" With difficulty, Zuko straightens enough to face the audience and belt out his intent.

 _I'll catch him soon_

 _When the moment is opportune_

 _I will trap him from above_

 _And I'll have my honor and Dad's love_

 _Honor bound_

 _Honor bound_

 _Honor bound_

 _Honor bound_

 _I will trap him, honor bound_

 _I will trap him, honor bound_

 _Honor bound_

 _Honor bound_

 _Honor bound!_

The scene ends with Zuko in the very center of the stage, arm raised in a determined power fist. Iroh stands just behind him with his hands tucked inside his sleeves. The lights dim and the stage turns to black.


	3. 1-2 Tales of Travel

1.2 Tales of Travel

The lights illuminate the stage once more, but the scene has changed completely. The setting no longer shows icebergs and snow, but is rather of mountains and clouds, giving the impression of great altitude.

An impact sounds from off stage left, as though something heavy has landed. Sokka enters from that side of the stage, looking distinctly green and clutching his stomach.

"Oh, I really don't feel well." He moans.

Katara and Aang enter the stage not far behind him. All three characters have shed their heavy coats from the previous scene, and are instead wearing light, summery-looking clothes.

Katara crosses her arms over her chest and rolls her eyes. "That's exactly what you get!" She huffs at Sokka. "I warned you not to play 'Chubby Bunny' with the rest of our seal jerky!"

Aang grins and shrugs, patting Sokka on the back. "You did really well though, Sock. I've never seen anyone fit fifty pieces in their mouth like that before!"

Sokka manages a weak but proud grin. "Practice." He says. "I live to eat. And speaking of…is anyone else hungry?"

Suddenly, a small animal—half-lemur, half bat—swoops down from the rafters, carrying a green vegetable, which he offers to Sokka. Sokka smiles greedily.

"Delicious…" he murmurs, his mouth watering.

Katara frowns in confusion. "But you hate cabbage!" she says.

Sokka rolls his eyes. "Oh yes, I was talking about the cabbage… _not_. Because I'm sarcastic. And I like meat. That's my whole identity—and that little fellow," he points to the lemur-bat, "Looks like meat to me!"

"Looks like a friend to me!" Aang says, "And I've already named him, so you can't eat him! He's Momo."

Katara frowns. "But where did he come from?" As if on cue, a spotlight appears, illuminating a corner of the stage that was previously in shadow, and revealing a rather imposing building built into one of the stage mountains. The building is covered in cobwebs—it is clear no one has been there for awhile.

Aang gasps in dismay. "The Southern Air Temple! But where is everyone? I haven't been gone long—only a hundred years or so, give or take a few months!"

Katara walks up to the temple and rubs down the side with one finger, coating the digit with dust. Katara shakes her head sadly. "I'm sorry Aang, but…I think you might be the last one. The last Airbender."

Refusing to believe it. Aang flies towards the temple and begins looking around for any sign of life. His eyes starting to glow blue, he begins to sing:

 **"Last Airbender"**

To the tune of "Love Story" by Taylor Swift

Sung by Aang

Aang: _A hundred years passed since I have been here_

 _The temple monks,_

 _Air bisons and_

 _The feel of air,_

 _Form the memories we used to share_

 _All has changed_

 _And there's something that's different_

 _There's no one anywhere that I see besides Momo._

 _Where did they all go?_

 _It's clear there's no one here and that's not a good sign_

 _And I never knew this temple had become a shrine_

 _Now I've opened up the entrance_

 _And can't handle what I've found, now I know_

Aang becomes more and more frantic as he searches, flipping through the air wildly like a Cirque du Soleil performer with no ropes. His eyes and tattooes now glow fully blue as he enters the Avatar State out of grief. Meanwhile, Katara bends a safety net out of water. She and Sokka both grab hold of each side of the net and try to keep up with Aang from their places on the ground, running around beneath him in order to catch him should he fall. Very shortly, they are both panting from the exertion.

 _I'm the last airbender that this world has ever seen_

 _I ran off back when I was still barely a teen_

 _Now I'm back and ready to accept my fate_

 _I'm an airbender in the Avatar State._

 _So now I am madder than I've ever felt,_

 _I feel all this rage for the blow that's been dealt_

 _And let it show,_

 _Though it happened so long ago._

 _It's clear there's no one here; you can see the dust lines_

 _And I never knew this temple had become a shrine_

 _But in looking all around_

 _I can't handle what I've found, now I know_

 _I'm the last airbender that this world has ever seen_

 _I ran off back when I was still barely a teen_

 _Now I'm back and ready to accept my fate_

 _I'm an airbender in the Avatar State._

Aang finally takes advantage of Katara's water net, using it as a stress reliever/trampoline. Bouncing up and down higher and higher into the air, his expression slowly calms from angry to sad, and finally, to determined.

 _I'm the last airbender that this world has ever seen_

 _And though it's difficult to believe_

 _I sense my friends, Katara and Sokka, relate_

 _I'm an airbender in the Avatar State._

 _This grief that I am feeling_

 _Over all the friends that I have lost in the past_

 _Will slowly start its healing_

 _But only after many more months have passed, for I know_

 _I'm the last airbender that this world has ever seen_

 _Never more will Southern Air Nomads convene_

 _But I still remain, and at last, I'll fly straight_

 _For now, I'm prepared to finally accept my fate!_

 _I say, as the last airbender,_

 _I'll make sure that they'd be proud_

 _I'll work hard to do all that I have vowed_

 _Bring peace to the world, and balance to its fate_

 _As an airbender in the Avatar State_

 _A hundred years passed since I have been here._

With a final flourishing flip, Aang makes one last jump before landing on the stage, his arms outstretched above him as he finishes the song. Katara, Sokka and Momo all hold up score cards above their heads. Katara gives Aang a 10+, Sokka rates him as a 6.3, and Momo's sign is completely blank save for some strings of saliva where the animal has licked the cardboard. A little belatedly, another scorecard reading 8.5 is displayed, held by someone—presumably Appa—from offstage.

Aang mutters under his breath, "Tough crowd. I expected at least an extra point or two for being the Avatar!"

At his words, a high-pitched voice shrieks from offstage. "Oh! My! God! It's the _Avatar_!"

A chorus of squeals precede a large group of teenagers rushing onstage, surrounding Aang. While most of them are girls, several guys are also in the midst of the crowd. All of them wear ballcaps that read "Avatar Fan Club" with arrows on them, as well as other various fanclub paraphernalia. One guy in particular is wearing a shirt with "The Avatar's with me" written on it, with a blue arrow pointing down towards his lower region.

The fans shout over one another to be heard: "Sign this!" "Autograph this for me!" "Will you marry me, Avatar?!"

Seeing that Aang is thoroughly overwhelmed, Katara and Sokka try to break through the crowd of fans to free him, but to no avail. Then, a group of green-clad girls enter the stage, their faces covered in startling white makeup. Within seconds, they have extracted Aang from the middle of the crazed fans and formed a protective circle around him, Katara and Sokka.

Katara sighs in relief. "Thanks!" she says gratefully.

Sokka is looking at one of the Kyoshi warriors as though starstruck. "Yeah," he says, his voice dreamy. "That was amazing. You're amazing."

The Kyoshi warrior—Suki—blushes beneath her makeup and winks at Sokka before turning to speak to Aang.

"Avatar Aang, we are the Kyoshi Warriors, and we are here to help. In fact, we are _all_ here to help you fight the Fire Nation!"

At that, two other people walk onstage, both dressed in Earth Kingdom colors. One is an eccentric looking old man in a crown—King Bumi—while the other is a younger man with dark hair. Once joined by the others, the Kyoshi warriors begin singing, moving their fans in unison as they dance in a perfectly synchronized circle around Sokka, Aang, and Katara.

 **"Friends in Odd Places"**

To the tune of "Honor to us All" by Disney

Sung by The Kyoshi Warriors, Suki, Bumi, Aang, Haru, Avatar Roku

The Kyoshi Warriors: _We will welcome you to our island_

 _As warriors, we're the best_

 _Trained by Avatar Kyoshi,_

 _We have all been blessed!_

Suki: _I see you, with your smile_

 _Contemplating staying here awhile_

 _And though you must soon depart this isle_

 _Here you'll always find a friend!_

With a rather large flourish, King Bumi breaks through the circle of Kyoshi warriors and seizes Aang, throwing the Avatar up in the air so that he lands on his back. Bumi then begins galloping around the stage, singing his verse loudly and very off-key as he gives Aang a very bumpy piggyback ride.

Bumi: _I seem mad, that is true_

 _Yet you feel a sense of déjà vu_

 _I'm an old friend_

 _That you surely knew_

 _Here you'll always find a friend!_

Aang: _We're meeting, on our voyages,_

 _Some most peculiar friends_

 _And though they've all been odd_

 _We'd trust them to the end!_

Haru claims Aang from King Bumi for his turn to befriend the Avatar. Planting his feet, he demonstrates earthbending movements as he sings, flinging bits of coal around the stage. Slowly, all onstage begin to mimic his motions, even Momo. When Momo can't seem to make any stones or rocks move like Haru, he starts throwing them physically with his paws.

Haru: _We'll rebel, with your aid_

 _Bend,_

 _The bricks of coal_

 _That we have made_

 _Now we've ended_

 _This Fire Nation raid,_

 _Here you'll always find a friend!_

Aang: _We never would have dreamed there'd be_

 _So many on our side_

 _Some of them help us fight,_

 _Some of them help us hide!_

Suddenly, a large dragon swoops in over the stage, grabbing Aang into his claws and flying around the theatre—even over the audience. On the dragon's back is a man covered in a white bedsheet with holes cut out for the eyes. Though his face is entirely obscured by the fabric, across his forehead is written the label _Avatar Roku._ The spirit of Avatar Roku's voice is slightly muffled as he belts out:

Avatar Roku: _You will find-_

 _Though you doubt-_

 _Some Fire Nation want to help you out_

 _Warn you that a comet's on its route_

 _And here you'll always find a friend!_

( _Spoken) This is important_

 _You see,_

 _Sozin's Comet is coming, as I just told you_

 _(Sung) It will boost their powers_

 _And Ozai will exploit it_

 _So you must stop him, by that day_

 _A hard task, I will admit._

Aang: _Holy crap,_

 _What a goal!_

 _And with powers that I can't control_

 _Haven't made it yet to the North Pole_

 _Guess we'd better find a way!_

 _What a large problem that I must solve_

 _And the friends that this will involve_

The spirit of Avatar Roku leads his dragon to land on the stage again, letting Aang down gently in the middle of his newfound friends, who are now all dancing in coordinated hip-hop movements—or nearly all coordinated. On several occasions, Bumi turns right when all others turn left—and vice versa.

All: _We are here_

 _If you need._

 _Our friendship is always guaranteed_

 _In this mission, we'll help you succeed_

 _'Til we've finally won this war!_

Suki: _Here you'll always have a—_

Bumi: _Here you'll always have a—_

Haru: _Here you'll always have a—_

Avatar Roku: _Here you'll always have a—_

All: _Here you'll always have a friend!_

The entire company ends with a large flourish, all sliding onto their knees and wagging their hands in jazz hands. Aang beams widely at the entire group. "It's so great to know we have friends we can count on, but how can we reach you when we need you?"

Bumi smiles his crazy grin and leaps back to his feet from his knees in one smooth movement. "Easy!" he says, pulling out a cell phone from within his robes. "I have unlimited minutes when roaming! Just give me your number and I will add you all to my plan."

The Kyoshi warriors, Haru and Avatar Roku's spirit all crowd around Aang to give him their numbers as well for future use. Sidling up next to Suki, Sokka whispers to her, "Good at fighting, a good dancer-is there anything you _can't_ do?"

In response, Suki smiles at him and pulls a red rose from behind her fan, handing it to him. Sokka immediately puts the flower between his teeth, raising both eyebrows at her flirtatiously. Suki barely restrains a laugh at his expression, but does not seem to mind his cheesiness all the same.

Once Aang and Katara have collected everyone's contact information, they wave goodbye as their new friends exit out of sight. The three then begin walking in a single-file circle around and around the stage, swinging their arms with a purpose. After two full circuits, Sokka—who is in the lead—suddenly turns to face the audience. He throws his arms out wide as he starts to belt out the next song. Katara and Aang immediately fall into their roles as back-up singers, bending their legs as they alternatively bob up and down and echo Sokka's lyrics.

 **"Shades of Grey"**

To the tune of "Endangered Love" by VeggieTales

Sung by Aang, Sokka, Katara, Jet, and Zuko

Sokka: _Traveling day by day (_ Aang and Katara _: Day by day, day by day)_

 _We face shades of grey! (Shades of grey, shades of grey)_

 _It's not black and white (Black and white, black and white)_

 _When we choose to fight (Nothing's easy to decide!)_

During this first chorus, a young man with messy dark hair has entered the stage, a foot-long piece of straw clenched between his teeth. Jet clenches his fist to his chest as he begins singing, his stance proud and borderline arrogant. Though he addresses Aang, his eyes keep flicking back to Katara flirtatiously. He winks at her so often that it looks as though he has a twitchy eye. Though Katara initially looks flattered by Jet's attention, her expression soon turns slightly scared as she listens to his lyrics.

Jet: _Please help us Avatar!_

 _We fight for liberty_

 _And while it's not pretty_

 _We all will_

 _Kill all those who dare to stand in our way of getting revenge!_

 _And that includes even the innocents!_

 _Tough luck!_

Katara stops bobbing up and down to place her hand to her forehead in an overly dramatic fashion.

Katara: _There's something wrong here_

 _I can feel it in my heart_

 _Why can't you just have some compassion?_

 _Yet you don't mind killing kids_

 _Or the elderly and sickly?_

 _Don't you know that this is wrong?_

Sokka: _I told you there was something wrong with this guy!_

Katara: _Don't do this!_

Jet: _Stand back!_

Katara: _Please don't!_

Jet: _Stand back!_

Katara: _Don't!_

Jet: _Back!_

Katara: _Don't, don't!_

Jet: _Back, back!_

Katara moves her hand to her forehead and down again with every line, so that it almost looks as though she is slapping herself with her hand over and over again. Jet takes a step backward at each of his lines, finally exiting the stage once more. As soon as he is out of sight, Katara rejoins Aang in bobbing up and down to the music.

Sokka: _Traveling day by day (_ Aang and Katara _: Day by day, day by day)_

 _We face shades of grey! (Shades of grey, shades of grey)_

 _It's not black and white (Black and white, black and white)_

 _When we choose to fight_

[Musical Interlude]

During the musical interlude, a trapdoor opens on the stage right behind where Aang is still bobbing up and down. A hand wearing Fire Nation colors reaches up and attempts to catch Aang's ankle. Just a shadow of a face can be seen of the person in the trapdoor—it is Zhao. As Zhao tries to catch the Avatar, Katara and Sokka seem to weaken as though suddenly ill. Ceasing their bobbing motions, they each pull out lollipops shaped like frogs and pop these remedies into their mouths. The next verse is slightly muffled as they sing the next verse around the suckers in their mouths.

Sokka: _Traveling day by day (_ Aang and Katara _: Day by day, day by day)_

 _We face shades of grey! (Shades of grey, shades of grey)_

 _It's not black and white (Black and white, black and white)_

 _When we choose to fight (Especially when they change sides!)_

Just before Zhao's searching hand can grab hold of the Avatar, a figure wearing a large blue mask flips in from stage right and slams the trapdoor, catching the fingers. A pained yelp can be heard from the gap, and the hand withdraws. Having successfully defeated the Avatar's enemy, the figure wearing the Blue Spirit mask rips off his disguise, revealing none other than Prince Zuko. Katara, Sokka, and Aang all gasp in surprise.

Zuko: _Yes, I saved you._

Aang: _You did?!_

Zuko: _I did, with this silly blue mask, see?_

Aang: _I can't believe my ears._

 _And yet I see you here_

 _In your Blue Spirit gear_

 _Now can we_

 _Put this behind us and just become friends for once and for all?_

 _C'mon._

 _But first off: can we finally call a truce?_

 _C'mon, Zuko,_

 _Let's agree to call a truce._

Zuko: _I'll kill you._

Aang: _You what!?_

Zuko: _Yep._

Aang: _Gotta fly!_

Zuko: _Don't you dare._

Aang: _I fly!_

Zuko: _Don't dare!_

Aang: _Fly!_

Zuko: _Don't!_

Aang: _Bye, bye!_

Zuko: _Don't don't!_

As promised, Aang jumps high up into the air, landing on the opposite side of the stage with Katara and Sokka between him and the Fire Nation prince. Zuko huffs in frustration and stalks offstage—there is no way that he can capture the Avatar from all the way across the stage.

Sokka: _Traveling day by day (_ Aang and Katara _: Day by day, day by day)_

 _We face shades of—_

Sokka is not able to finish the last line of the song. The frog sucker in his mouth has suddenly started to move—it is not candy at all, but a _real_ frog. His face contorts in utmost disgust as he spits out the amphibian.

"Blech!" he yells, wiping his tongue on his sleeve. It takes a moment before Katara also spits out her frog as well, an identical expression of revulsion on her face. The two frantically wipe at their mouths and tongues, anxious to rid themselves of the taste and the feeling.

Aang watches them silently for a moment, then turns to face the side of the stage where Zuko had exited several moments before.

"Gray." He finishes Sokka's line, a thoughtful expression on his face. Though the sound of retching behind him does not cease, the lights dim around Aang so that he is the only one illuminated, left standing alone in the middle of the stage.


	4. 1-3 The Water Tribe

1.3 The Water Tribe

The spotlight centered on Aang changes color from yellow to blue, widening so that it also encompasses Katara and Sokka as well. The two of them have both donned their heavy parkas again, and are also wearing scarves and mittens to protect against the seeming cold.

Sokka rifles inside his jacket and pulls out a roadmap, which he unfolds until it is even larger than he is.

"According to this," he muses, his voice muffled behind the map. "The North Pole should be just a couple feet from where we're standing."

Sokka lowers the maps and looks around the stage theatrically. Katara and Aang do the same.

Sokka throws the map down on the ground. "Well, I don't see any poles at all!" He fumes. "We might as well ask Santa's elves for directions!"

Suddenly, a small red-and-green figure drops down in the middle of their small group. Katara, Sokka, and Aang look down at the elf in utmost surprise, their mouths hanging open in shock.

"I…I was being sarcastic." Sokka says faintly, rubbing his chin.

The elf speaks, his voice shocking deep. "Welcome to the North Pole. Press 1 to reach Santa's workshop. Press 2 to go to the Northern Water Tribe." He raises his hands, each holding a sign—one with the number '1' on it, and the other reading '2'.

Katara, Sokka and Aang glance at each other, and then Aang taps on the second sign.

A trapdoor opens beneath the elf and he falls out of sight. In his place appears a large striped pole with a sign at the top reading _North Pole/Northern Water Tribe_.

Aang cocks his head. "Huh. It really is a pole!"

"Welcome Southern brothers!"

Several people dressed in shades of blue and gray enter on surfboards from stage left, waterbending waves of water across the stage. Sokka gazes dreamily at one of them, a girl with long white hair—Princess Yue. Aang and Katara gasp at such a magnificent display of waterbending skill

"Waterbenders!" They say in unison, before Aang begins to sing:

 **"The Northern Tribe"**

To the tune of "Brown-Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison

Sung by Aang, Katara, Pakku, Sokka and Princess Yue

Aang: _We've arrived at last!_

 _Found waterbenders_

 _Their tribe is so vast,_

 _Full of such splendor_

 _And at last I'll find a master_

 _Who'll agree to train me_

 _How to control ocean's waves and_

 _How to restrain me while in_

 _The Northern Tribe_

 _In the Northern Tribe!_

Aang leaps over to stand next to the most skilled waterbender, a white-haired man doing gnarly tricks on his surfboard—Pakku, the renowned waterbending master they have been searching for. Pakku demonstrates several of the easy tricks to Aang, but when Katara tries to watch as well, he splashes her with a wave of water. Furious, she begins waterbending back, singing.

Katara: _It is just mental_

 _That Pakku won't train me_

 _I refuse to be gentle_

 _While he_

 _Chooses to disdain me_

 _My gran once was in this tribe_

 _Engaged to this stubborn man_

 _But she chose to leave_

 _Joined a much more open clan than this,_

 _The Northern Tribe_

 _Than the Northern Tribe!_

Pakku: _But things are changing now, since you arrived!_

 _Sha la la la la la la la la la la de da!_

 _Sha la la la la la la la la la la de da!_

 _La de da!_

During the previous chorus, Pakku finally allows Katara onto the wave as well, and she and Aang begin surfing around the stage with the other waterbenders. Meanwhile, Sokka gazes starstruck at another of the Northern Water tribe members, a girl with shockingly white hair. She wears a tiara on her head, and a large diamond engagement ring on her finger, though neither piece of jewelry is very well-cared for. Princess Yue returns Sokka's flirtatious glances, wiggling her fingers at him as he serenades her.

Sokka: _I think I've fallen hard!_

 _With this lovely white-haired girl_

 _But I must remain on my guard_

 _And not let my head whirl_

 _For I know she's out of my league_

 _She's royalty and I am poor_

 _And to boot, she is engaged_

 _Though things would change if not for_

 _The Northern Tribe_

 _For the Northern Tribe!_

Princess Yue steps closer to Sokka, strategically slipping her engagement ring off of her finger and stomping it underfoot.

Princess Yue: _But things are changing now, since you arrived!_

 _Sha la la la la la la la la la la de da!_

 _Sha la la la la la la la la la la de da!_

 _Sha la la la la la la la la la la de da!_

As Yue finishes singing, all of the water benders—and Aang—do one last handstand on their surfboards before lowering their waves slowly to the stage. Sokka meanders even closer to Yue, pulling out a somewhat wilted rose from inside his jacket and handing it to the princess.

"You're a princess and you can surf? If there anything you _can't_ do?"

Aang elbows Katara to gain her attention and nods pointedly at Sokka. "Isn't that the same rose he got from that Kyoshi Warrior?" he whispers in a carrying whisper so that the audience can hear, though Sokka and Yue both remain oblivious.

"Suki?" Katara whispers back. "Yeah, I think so."

Aang shakes his head. "Even _I_ know that that's tacky."

Yue accepts the rose and smells it. "Well," she muses. "I failed at dying once. The moon spirit dyed my hair white and saved my life when I was a baby, no strings attached."

This story catches Aang's attention at once. "The moon spirit?" he asks. "It's here?"

Yue nods. "And the ocean spirit too. They're BFFS, so they like to stay close to each other."

The lights dim onstage so that none of the characters can be seen anymore. The darkness is broken when two spotlights appear on stage to represent the moon and ocean spirits—one a bright white light, the other a blue in color. They circle each other in a perpetual motion as Yue continues to speak, her voice echoing in the theatre.

"They hide together in a secret chamber. In the same place. Underground. We all know where it is, but you need a password to get into it anyway, so they're okay. Besides, their hiding place is a complete secret from everyone else."

The lights reappear again suddenly onstage. Aang, Sokka, Katara, and all of the Northern Water Tribe members have disappeared, replaced by Uncle Iroh, Prince Zuko, and Zhao. Zuko and Uncle Iroh each hold one side of an accordion, whose notes seem very out of place with the hard rock temp of the music that begins to play. Zhao has an electric guitar slung across his chest, which he strums madly. His expression, already slightly crazed at the beginning of the song, becomes crazier as he sings, and he headbangs faster and faster throughout each subsequent verse.

 **"Crazy and Brilliant"**

To the tune of "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Sung by Zhao and Iroh

Zhao: _I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

 _How to clear the way for my military ascent!_

 _This fire prince, always in my way,_

 _Will be the first one I'll slay,_

 _Oh I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

Iroh: _You're mad! That's clear!_

After the very first verse of the song, Zuko and Iroh stop playing the accordion at all, and just stare at Zhao as he outlines his lunatic plan. A trapdoor opens directly underneath Zuko, and he disappears from view. Horrified, Iroh steps back, and then keeps backing away from Zhao as though eager to get as far away from him as possible so as not to catch the madness.

Zhao: _I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

 _Our enemies will crumble even though they're resilient!_

 _The moon and tide are both intertwined_

 _And their spirits need to hide_

 _'Cause I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

Iroh: _You're mad! That's clear!_

 _You're mad! That's clear!_

Zhao: _I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

 _Others may feel wary 'bout the act I intend._

 _I'll target the spirits in their hidden pool_

 _I will win this duel!_

 _I'll carry out the plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

Iroh: _You're mad, that's clear!_

 _You're mad, that's clear!_

Zhao _: I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

 _I will kill the spirit, though Iroh may not consent._

 _Without the moon, they will have no power;_

 _The waterbenders will all cower_

 _All thanks to my plan, which is crazy and brilliant…and all mine!_

Iroh: _You're mad! That's clear!_

 _You're mad! That's clear!_

Zhao: _I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

 _How to clear the way for my military ascent!_

 _When I get back home, they'll all chant my name,_

 _It'll be the ticket to my fame!_

 _I have got a plan that is crazy and brilliant!_

Iroh: _You're mad! That's clear!_

 _You're mad! That's clear!_

 _You're mad!_

 _You're mad!_

By the time the song finishes, Zhao is headbanging so hard that his hair is a complete tangle. Iroh has backed away to the complete opposite edge of the stage, and he gestures frantically, encouraging unseen people to enter the stage. Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Princess Yue do, all with rather confused looks on their faces at speaking to a member of the fire nation—a sworn enemy. Iroh beckons all of them into a huddle. They lean in close as he whispers to them.

While they are thus occupied, Zhao has been tiptoeing his way closer and closer to where the two spotlights—the ocean and moon spirits—are still circling one another. He cackles, rubbing his hands together evilly.

Several moments later, the people in the huddle jerk up with gasps of horror, looking askance at Zhao. Clearly, Iroh has informed them of Zhao's self-proclaimed crazy and brilliant plan. They all leap for Zhao just as he is about to attack the spirits with his electric guitar, managing to insert themselves in between them before he can strike at the lights. The five of them—Sokka, Katara, Aang, Yue, and Iroh—all line up to provide a physical barrier, protecting the spirits from Zhao's murderous intent—not to mention his guitar. Settling into fighting stances, they all sing together in unison.

 **"Saving the Spirits"**

To the tune of "Love is a Battlefield" by Pat Benatar

Sung by Iroh, Katara, Aang and Princess Yue

All: _It's our fight_

 _We know that there's much to lose_

 _But it's the path that we choose:_

 _Saving the spirits_

 _For it's right_

 _We can't survive moonless nights_

 _And that will help us to fight_

 _We'll try our hardest_

 _Saving the spirits_

Zhao leaps forward to attack, engaging both Aang and Iroh into a fight at the same time. He simultaneously swings his guitar at the spirits while also sending spurts of fire towards his opponents. Though the five good guys are able to block his attacks at the spirits, the brutality with which he is fighting make it more and more difficult for them to anticipate his moves, and there are several near misses.

Katara: _This guy is a loon, this guy is insane,_

 _How could this be a good thought?_

 _He wants to target the moon_

 _Wipe it off of this plane_

 _And that'll leave the whole world distraught_

Iroh: _I'm trying, I'm trying, but only in vain,_

 _To talk him off the ledge,_

 _But he's being a pain!_

All: _It's our fight_

 _We know that there's much to lose_

 _But it's the path that we choose:_

 _Saving the spirits_

 _For it's right_

 _We can't survive moonless nights_

 _And that will help us to fight_

 _We'll try our hardest_

 _Saving the spirits_

Zhao swings his guitar, and this time no one is able to prevent him from disturbing the white beam of light. At once, the white spotlight turns red. The moon spirit is dead. Princess Yue drops to her knees and waves her hand in the red lightbeam as though she can somehow change it back.

Princess Yue: _Oh when I was just born,_

 _The spirits helped me survive_

 _And they gave me white hair_

 _Though my people will mourn,_

 _Still the moon will revive_

 _As my life I will share_

Yue steps fully into the red spotlight. It changes back to white, and begins to circle the blue light once more, with Yue walking with it in the middle of the beam.

Aang: _In the meantime, I'll seek him,_

 _And I'll show him who's boss_

 _He will learn what will happen_

 _When spirits are crossed_

(Musical Interlude)

Aang's eyes and tattoos glow as he enters the Avatar State. Zuko runs onstage to join the side of the good guys, and Zhao gasps at his sudden appearance— _how did he survive_?

All: _It's our fight_

 _We know that there's much to lose_

 _But it's the path that we choose:_

 _Saving the spirits_

 _For it's right_

 _We can't survive moonless nights_

 _And that will help us to fight_

 _We'll try our hardest_

 _Saving the spirits_

Aang stomps twice on the stage floor as a cue, and the same trapdoor through which Zuko fell opens underneath Zhao. Zhao falls, but manages to catch the edge of the opening, holding on with one hand. After a split second's hesitation, Zuko goes to pull him up and save him, but Zhao isn't having it. Stupidly, he slaps Zuko away with the same hand he is using to hold onto the stage. Zhao falls down into the trapdoor and a distant sound of a splash is heard as the curtain falls.

"Strange." Zuko says, peering into the trapdoor. "There wasn't any water there when I fell."

Still standing in the white spotlight, Yue answers him with a newly-mystical voice. "The ocean and moon spirit are closely connected—like brother and sister. As the ocean says: "Ain't nobody messing with the moon but me!"

Sokka drops to his knees in front of Yue. "So this means you're the moon now right? But…we can still keep in touch?"

Yue shakes her head sadly. "I am sorry Sokka. But they say that long-distance relationships never work out."

Sokka's shoulders slump and Zuko—of all people—pats him on the back and offers condolences. "That's rough, buddy."

With this poignant yet memorable line, the lights dim onstage.

END ACT 1


	5. 2-1 New Friends and Enemies

2.1 New Friends and Enemies

Fading house lights mark the end of the first intermission. The curtain opens for the second act. A somewhat strange looking man appears onstage, wearing a one-shouldered kimono and a square red-and-purple hat. He carries a banjo, and as a single spotlight centers on him, he begins to sing in a very off-tune voice.

"Secret tunnel! Secret tu-"

Before the man can so much as complete a second phrase, Sokka comes running from offstage, tackling the man fully to the ground and pulling him in a headlock.

"Quick!" he shouts through gritted teeth, "Grab the banjo before he starts singing again!"

The lights come on fully onstage as Aang and Katara both enter nonchalantly. They have none of Sokka's frantic energy, instead looking rather dreamy.

"I don't know." Aang says thoughtfully. "I think the song is growing on me."

Sokka scoffs, his arms still entwined around the man's neck. "He's been singing it nonstop for four hours! Haven't you been listening?! Where were you in that cave?"

Katara blushes a bit. "We were…distracted." She mumbles, refusing to look at Aang.

Sokka rolls his eyes. His face is turning red from the effort of holding onto the hippie dude. "Never mind….I…don't care." He says in between pants. "But will someone just please smash that stinkin' banjo?"

On cue, a bolt of blue lightning is shot from offstage stage left, reducing the musical instrument to ash and cinders. The Secret Tunnel guy yelps indignantly, and Sokka grip loosens slightly on his choke-hold.

" _Thank_ you!" Sokka says. "Wait…who am I thanking?"

The trio all look around the stage theatrically. Secret tunnel guy takes the opportunity to crawl offstage and out of sight, scooping the ashes of his poor banjo into his hands as he goes.

Aang settles into a fighting stance. "Lightning is a super special firebending trick. Maybe Zuko got an upgrade?"

At the sound of his name, Prince Zuko himself enters, but from the opposite side of the stage as the lightning was shot. His arms are crossed over his chest, and he has a distinct pout on his face.

"Not me." He sulks. "It's…my sister."

At that, Princess Azula enters from stage left, being carried on a palanquin by two other girls, one dressed all in black and the other all in pink. Mai and Ty Lee are panting slightly from the effort of carrying their princess, but neither dare complain. With slight grunts, they lower the palanquin to the floor, allowing Azula to disembark. As the three girls enter, a backlight also appears upstage, revealing the shadow of a tall, imposing throne, upon which a figure sits. The placement of the light ensures that none of the man's features can be seen.

Zuko shoots the figure a look that is half awed, half intimidated. "Aaaannnnddd…that's my dad." He mumbles.

Azula, Mai and Ty Lee strike poses reminiscent of Charlie's Angels. "Hi, Zuzu!" Azula says mockingly before turning to address Aang.

"Just in case you missed the memo, Avatar—Zuzu's been replaced. He's no longer your arch-enemy."

"He isn't?" Aang asks warily. "Then who is?"

Azula smiles and shoots a bolt of blue lightning at him, forcing him to duck to avoid it. "We are!" She shouts triumphantly, then she, Mai, and Ty Lee begin to sing. After a few lines, the deep imposing voice of King Ozai joins them, though his face still remains in complete shadow.

 **"New Enemies"**

To the tune of "Barbie Girl" by Aqua

Sung by Azula, Mai, Ty Lee and Ozai

All: _We're new enemies, and we seek to seize_

 _The airbender! Won't surrender!_

Azula: _I'm a psychopath, so watch out for my wrath!_

All: _We're the A-team, ready with a new scheme!_

Ozai: _Here's your mission, your ambition_

All: _We're new enemies, and we seek to seize_

 _The airbender! Won't surrender!_

Azula: _I'm a psychopath, so watch out for my wrath_

All: _We're the A-team, ready with a new scheme!_

As Azula begins singing on her own, Ty Lee and Mai step back to place themselves as her backup dancers. The three dance in choreographed movements like a girl band, though with varying levels of skill. Ty Lee is the best, being naturally fluid. Mai is stiff and entirely unenthusiastic, while Azula tries almost _too_ hard to dance well.

Azula: _I shoot blue lightning bolts, I can kill with one jolt_

 _I'm my Dad's little girl, he's delighted_

 _Though I've trained, unrestrained is my license to kill_

 _I can't count all the fires I've ignited_

 _I'm unique, I'm a freak, but that's why they need me here!_

All: _We're new enemies, and we seek to seize_

 _The airbender! Won't surrender!_

Azula: _I'm a psychopath, so watch out for my wrath_

All: _We're the A-team, ready with a new scheme!_

Ozai: _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ah-ah-ah-ah!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ooo-ooh!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ah-ah-ah-ah!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ooo-ooh!)_

Still singing, the three new female enemies begin to attack the main trio. Azula shoots dazzling shots of lightning at Aang, who dodges them with graceful airbending flips. Mai flings pointed stars at Katara, and the waterbender bends water from the gourd at her waste to freeze the projectiles in midair. Ty Lee flips towards Sokka and they begin hand-to-hand combat in a style that almost looks like tango dancing. Unobserved, Zuko begins to help the Avatar's side, subtly throwing balls of fire Azula's way when no one is looking.

Ty Lee: _Pressure points, touch your joints, make you weak in the knees_

 _You fall down on the ground, your whole body will freeze_

Mai: _I throw stars, I can spar, and my skills are to par_

 _Cut me loose from disuse, I need action!_

Ty Lee: _I'm unique, I'm a freak, but that's why they need me here!_

Mai: _I'm unique, I'm a freak, but that's why they need me here!_

Ozai: _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ah-ah-ah-ah!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ooo-ooh!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ah-ah-ah-ah!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ooo-ooh!)_

All: _We're new enemies, and we seek to seize_

 _The airbender! Won't surrender!_

Azula: _I'm a psychopath, so watch out for my wrath_

All: _We're the A-team, ready with a new scheme!_

All: _We're new enemies, and we seek to seize_

 _The airbender! Won't surrender!_

Azula: _I'm a psychopath, so watch out for my wrath_

All: _We're the A-team, ready with a new scheme!_

Ozai: _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ah-ah-ah-ah!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ooo-ooh!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ah-ah-ah-ah!)_

 _Here's your mission, your ambition (Ooo-ooh!)_

Song finished and cameo completed for the moment, the shadowed figure of Ozai snaps his fingers authoritatively. The backlight at the back of the stage extinguishes once more, so that the throne can no longer be seen at all. Still fighting, the entire company drifts their combat slowly out of sight, leaving the stage empty once more.

Mere seconds after they have disappeared from view, a loud crash can be heard, following by an agonized shout.

"My cabbages!"

A single green cabbage rolls onstage, coming to a stop in the dead center. A spotlight focuses on the vegetable, and dramatic music begins to play, as if cueing a solo to be delivered by the cabbage itself. Just as the music crescendos, a man with a green hat and gray goatee enters from stage left and trudges slowly over to the cabbage. The dramatic music restarts from the beginning—it is clearly the man who is supposed to sing, not the vegetable.

Whoops. Our bad.

The cabbage man falls to his knees in front of the cabbage, staring sadly down at it as he begins to croon his song.

 **"Cabbage Man's Lament"**

To the tune of "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion

Sung by the Cabbage Merchant

Cabbage Merchant: _Every time I come to_

 _A new place, a new life_

 _Every time I try to move on_

 _The Avatar is there and_

 _He somehow will find me_

 _Then my cabbages get trod on_

 _Crushed, smashed—my cart will get trashed!_

 _And without saying sorry, they leave_

 _I feel that my pain is real_

 _Even though that I know I am just seen as comic relie_ —OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!

This last bit is shouted rather than sung, for just as the cabbage merchant reaches the end of his verse, a huge boulder drops from the ceiling, completely crushing the lone cabbage and just barely missing the merchant himself. Standing on top of the boulder is a girl with short dark hair, wearing green and tan Earth Kingdom clothing. Her eyes are clouded over, and her feet are bare and covered in dirt.

"Sorry dude." Toph says cheerfully, though her smirk suggests that she is more amused than apologetic. "Couldn't aim very well, on account of being blind and all."

The cabbage merchant opens and closes his mouth several times, at a loss for words. Then he throws his hands in the air, shouts "Oh, just forget it!" and stomps offstage.

If anything, Toph seems to find this funnier than ever. She laughs out loud and jumps down from the rock, landing squarely on her bare feet. Aang's voice sounds from offstage.

"I know that laugh!" he says in a stage whisper to Katara and Sokka as the three of them appear at the corner of the stage.

"You do?" Katara asks, a hint of jealousy in her tone. She looks over at Toph. "Who is she?"

Aang grins. "My new earthbending master!"

Toph whips her head around. "Wait, what? I didn't sign up for that!"

Sokka blinks his eyes and squints at Toph suspiciously. "If you're blind, then how did you know we were here?"

Toph scoffs. "I'm blind, not deaf, idiot!"

"Oh. Right."

Aang ignores this. He gets down on his knees and pleads with Toph. "Please! You _have_ to be my Earthbending master!"

Toph puts her hands on her hips. "I don't have to do anything!"

Aang straightens his shoulders confidently. "But…I'm the _Avatar_."

"So?"

Sokka cocks his head and whispers in an aside to Katara. "Huh. That usually works."

Aang thinks for a moment, then smiles conspiratorially. "If you help train me, then we'll let you join our super-secret traveling company. We have a handshake and everything now!"

Toph pauses. "A group handshake?' she asks.

"Yep."

"A _secret_ handshake?"

"Yep."

"…I'm in."

Aang jumps straight up into the air in celebration, hurrahing in triumph. Toph stomps her foot and a thick column of solid rock grows out of the stage towards the Avatar, catching him none-too-gently and then bringing him back to earth far too quickly. "I wouldn't celebrate too much yet, Twinkle-Toes. I doubt you've met a master like me before. You ever heard of boot camp training?"

Silently, Katara, Sokka, and Aang all nod, completely forgetting that Toph cannot see them do so. She waits a beat for their voiced response, but then smirks all the same despite not receiving any.

"I'll take that as a yes. Well. Let's just say that by the time _we're_ finished—you'll wish it _was_ boot camp."

Aang gulps audibly as Toph points her finger directly at him and begins to sing.

 **"The Tophest Master"**

To the tune of "Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under?" by Shania Twain

Sung by Toph

Toph: _I bet I'm your toughest master,_

 _I bet I'm your toughest master_

 _And though you may seem like a disaster_

 _This way you will learn things faster, Twinkle-Toes_

 _'Cause I bet I'm your toughest master_

Stomping her feet to the tune, Toph creates more columns of solid rock beneath Aang, forcing the airbender to leap higher and higher in order not to get violently jarred by the moving earth.

 _Don't always jump away_

 _Do not escape_

 _This is not your usual way_

 _Of facing a scrape_

 _But you're not airbending!_

 _And water's not the case_

 _So if it's rocks we're rending_

 _You meet face-to-face_

 _I bet I'm your toughest master_

 _And though you may seem like a disaster_

 _This way you will learn things faster, Twinkle-Toes_

 _And you grow a backbone_

 _You'll learn how to push a boulder_

 _Stand ground and don't turn your shoulder_

 _And you will even match my smolder, Twinkle-Toes_

 _'Cause I bet I'm your toughest master_

Along with creating the columns of rock, Toph has now grabbed Aang's glider. Every time the Avatar touches his feet to the ground, she whacks him on the shoulder with the stick. Katara and Sokka watch, wincing in sympathy every time Aang is hit. While they are thus distracted, a small, adorable animal resembling a baby moose trots onstage and begins nuzzling his horns against one of the pillars.

 _You can't be so mellow_

 _You seek to please_

 _Try not to be that fellow_

 _Who's easy to tease_

 _You must learn to stand ground_

 _And to state your mind_

 _And when you come around_

 _An Earthbender you'll find_

 _I bet I'm your toughest master_

 _And though you may seem like a disaster_

 _This way you will learn things faster, Twinkle-Toes_

 _And you grow a backbone_

 _You'll learn how to push a boulder_

 _Stand ground and don't turn your shoulder_

 _And you will even match my smolder, Twinkle-Toes_

 _'Cause I bet I'm your toughest master_

 _I know I'm tough!_

(Musical Interlude)

During the musical interlude, one of the stone columns that Toph has created—the one that the baby animal keeps rubbing against—cracks, and begins to fall towards Sokka. Seeing the danger, Aang leaps down and airbends Sokka out of the way while simultaneously earthbending the rock column to slow its descent. Toph punches the air in triumph.

 _And at last you've got it!_

 _To save a friend!_

 _I knew that you would get there_

 _In the bitter end!_

 _I bet I'm your toughest master_

 _And though you may seem like a disaster_

 _This way you will learn things faster—_

 _I bet I'm your toughest master_

 _And though you may seem like a disaster_

 _This way you will learn things faster, Twinkle-Toes_

 _And you grow a backbone_

 _You'll learn how to push a boulder_

 _Stand ground and don't turn your shoulder_

 _And you will even match my smolder, Twinkle-Toes_

 _'Cause I bet I'm your toughest master_

As she nears the end of the song, Toph rockbends more columns at an even quicker rate. Aang no longer avoids the rock. Instead, he rides them right back down into the stage, displaying complete control over the earth. As he lands one last time, Toph attempts to hit him again with his own glider, but Aang catches the stick midair before it can so much as touch him. Toph smiles, and slugs his shoulder instead in a motion that is supposed to be friendly.

"Well done, grasshopper."

Blackout.


	6. 2-2 The Earth Kingdom

2.2 The Earth Kingdom

A spotlight appears, illuminating the corner of the stage. Toph is there with headphones placed carefully so that only one ear is covered. She is standing behind a desk made of rocks, a record player on top of it. Music begins to play, and she scratches the record artistically in time with the music.

The spotlight widens, showing Katara standing behind her, with one hand over her mouth, beat boxing. Appa's tail is also seen onstage, thumping to the rhythm as well. Another light appears, revealing Aang breakdancing in the middle of the stage, with Sokka standing in front of him, arms crossed over his chest and one hand gripping a microphone. Though the scenery around them all is complete desert, Sokka is wearing his heavy winter coat with the furry hood pulled up over his head. He has a 'tough' look on his face. As Toph begins speaking, Sokka comes alive, waving one arm in the air and bouncing around the stage as he puts the microphone close to his mouth to rap.

 **"We'll Find It"**

(To the tune of "Ice, Ice, Baby" by Vanilla Ice)

Sung by The Aang Gang

Toph: _Hey, Sokka,_

 _Where do you wanna go?_

Sokka: _C'mon guys, to the library!_

The Aang Gang: _Let's get readin'!_

 _Let's get readin'!_

With one deft move of his hands, Aang lifts everyone up and moves them in the exact same formation onto Appa's tail, which stops thumping and lies motionless. The Aang Gang continues their song as though nothing had happened.

Sokka: _Listen up,_

 _'Cause now I've got a notion_

 _That'll help us make a commotion_

 _I bet,_

 _that this place will have info_

 _On how we can deal the Fire Nation a blow_

Katara: _But it can't be found!_

Sokka: _Hey, we're up high!_

 _And after all, we can try_

 _This is our chance to find a map that is recent_

 _And to come up with a plan that is decent_

 _So_

 _Let's get on Appa and go_

 _It may be hidden, but I bet it will still show_

 _Sandy,_

 _for as far as our eyes see_

 _But it will help when we all search for debris_

 _We spot the spire, our desert fox friend_

 _While Appa stays here, and Toph defends,_

 _The rest of us will enter_

 _Climb the tower_

 _Find the plans quick_

 _Before it all goes sour_

The Aang Gang: _Let's get readin'_

 _And find it_

 _Let's get readin'_

 _And find it_

 _Let's get readin'_

 _And find it_

 _Let's get readin'_

 _And find it_

During the chorus, Aang performs his hand motion again, and the entire group moves off of Appa's tail. Toph and her rocky DJ stand remain near Appa's tail. Katara, Aang and Sokka move to the other side of the stage, where several bookshelves have been pushed onstage, with a large stuffed owl perched on top of one. They begin pulling books off the shelves and leafing through them, throwing them over their shoulders once they've finished. At last, Sokka holds up a large red book in triumph, displaying the open leaves to the audience.

Sokka: _And at last we have found something_

 _A secret event that will get this war pumping_

 _In between now and the comet is a day_

 _Where a solar eclipse will turn the sky gray_

 _When it does,_

 _we'll be ready to attack_

 _'Cause they'll have no power when the sun's black_

 _It's their dark day, both in light and power_

 _And on that day, they've no choice but to cower_

 _Now we've got to pass this on_

 _Go to Ba Sing Se 'fore our chance is gone_

 _The king can take action_

 _To our satisfaction_

Katara: _Is that all?_

Sokka: _Yeah, we can leave now_

During this declaration, the bookshelves fall over onto their sides, spilling their contents and sending the owl flying at the three teenagers. Toph pushes her DJ stand over to where the others are, and they climb aboard as though it is a boat, rowing back to where their blind friend waits. While everyone is distracted, Appa's tail is pulled offstage as a giant gust of sand piles in the place where he used to be. Toph gasps and spins around to face the sand pile, then the audience.

Toph: _They all just avoided a close call_

 _The owl attacked and he tried to crush the tower wall_

 _I held it up_

 _But while I'm doing that_

 _All a sudden, Appa disappeared!_

 _I hate sand 'cause it messed up my radar_

 _The ground will shift and I can't see as far_

 _I had_

 _turned my back the other way_

 _The library was sinking, to my dismay_

 _I tried_

 _to keep the building up_

 _And lost track of Appa 'cause he wasn't close-up_

 _That's when_

 _The sandbenders struck_

 _Took him away when we're out of luck_

 _Vanished_

 _Off into the desert_

 _We only hope, he's not been hurt_

 _I feel so guilty, as though it's my fault_

 _If only I could see, that would've changed it all_

 _Appa'd be here, our plan would be clear_

 _And after that, we'd all be free of our fear_

 _Guess we'll start moving_

 _It's slow-going_

 _The desert is hard when the sand gets blowing_

The Aang Gang: _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

 _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

 _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

 _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

Toph hops onto the DJ stand/sand boat and they continue to row around the stage, passing sand dunes and cactus plants. Each time they pass a cactus, Sokka pulls a small piece off and stuffs it in his mouth, grinning wildly and drooling. Aang stands at the very front of the boat, displaying his glider at though it is a staff as he raps to the audience.

Aang: _It feels_

 _As though I've lost my closest friend_

 _His loss is a blow that no one else can comprehend_

 _We met_

 _Back when both of us were younger_

 _I took care of his thirst and hunger_

 _We've been together through thick and thin_

 _My existence is defined by his grin_

 _He's more than a pet, I just can't live without him_

 _I'll find those men, and they'll wish they never met me_

 _Make them_

 _rue the day, they woke up my anger_

 _Meet me in the Avatar State, and they'll wet their pants_

 _Oh, their ears will burn once I've finished my rant_

 _I'll follow his trail 'til the end of the earth_

 _And everyone else better give a wide berth_

 _Guess we'll start moving_

 _It's slow-going_

 _The desert is hard when the sand gets blowing_

The Aang Gang: _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

 _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

 _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

 _Let's get lookin'_

 _And find him_

As the last chords of the song finish, the Aang Gang's makeshift boat pulls up to a very impressive stone wall with green wall hangings. An ornate door is built into the wall, with a doorknocker shaped like a bear's head. A sign to the left of the door says "Welcome to Ba Sing Se. Population: Increasing Every Day".

The Aang Gang hop out of the boat, which sinks into the stage and disappears. Sokka walks up to the door and bangs the knocker three times, which growls instead of making a regular knocking sound. A female voice answers from behind the door, calling out "One minute! I need to finish my quick change!" They wait. Sokka pulls out his boomerang and uses it as a mirror to clean his teeth. Aang puts his hands in his pockets and whistles. Katara attempts to teach Toph how to play patty-cake, which does not go well as she keeps on smacking Toph in the face.

While they are still waiting, Iroh, Zuko and Jet enter stage right. Both Iroh and Zuko are hiding their Fire Nation clothes under green capes. Iroh, holding his teapot, immediately walks over to Katara, who fills it with water for him. Meanwhile, Jet addresses Zuko in an undertone, holding out one hand to shake.

"I'm a rebel with a thing against authority, I like using explosives and I hate the Fire Nation with a passion. Will you be my friend?"

Zuko slowly inches away from Jet and towards his uncle. He does not get a chance to respond to Jet, as Iroh's teapot begins to whistle, indicating that the water inside is hot enough. Jet looks at the teapot, then Iroh, then Zuko. After several moments, the implication finally seems to register, and he jumps back with a disdainful growl. He holds his hands up in a cross as though to ward off evil.

Before Jet can say anything, however, the door to Ba Sing Se opens. A woman with dark hair and a green and yellow robe pops her head out.

"Is this my cue?" She whispers to Aang, managing to smile widely even while speaking. He sighs and nods. She closes the door again, only to burst out a moment later, singing loudly to everyone gathered outside.

 **"Ba Sing Se"**

(To the tune of "Under the Sea" by Disney)

Sung by Joo Dee, Long Feng, Iroh, Zuko, Jet, and Aang

Joo Dee: _We welcome you to the city!_

 _Look how the walls are secure._

 _A refuge for those who need it,_

 _And I'm here to give the tour!_

 _The lives that you've all been living_

 _Are much more than you should bear!_

 _For here you have all you will need._

 _A life that is free of care!_

Suddenly, a sinister-looking man pops his head out from over the wall and begins singing the chorus. Long Feng waves his arms expansively as he belts the words.

Long Feng: _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _Life's never snappy,_

 _and you'll be happy,_

 _that's what I say!_

 _Here we deny that we're at war_

 _Though it is us they're fighting for!_

 _Life here is perfect_

 _For all the subjects_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

Zuko, Iroh and Jet move so that they are facing each other, Jet versus the other two. Though they never stop glaring at each other, they are clearly addressing Long Feng with their subsequent complaints.

Iroh, Zuko, Jet: _We've come here to start our new lives,_

 _Where fighting is not allowed._

Jet: _Yet I know this punk's Fire nation_

 _And I'll make my claim out loud!_

Iroh: _My nephew is really trying_

 _To turn over a new leaf_

 _All we want is just to blend in_

 _And be left alone in peace!_

Members of the Dai Li enter stage left, putting Jet in stone handcuffs and leading him to the back of the stage. Long Feng jumps out from behind the wall and lands squarely in the center of the stage, singly loudly again. In the background, the Dai Li can be clearly seen holding a pocket watch and swinging it on its chain before Jet's eyes. Jet collapses.

Long Feng: _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _I rule the Dai Li_

 _Who you'll all agree_

 _Have all the sway!_

 _When someone tries to make a wave,_

 _We will make sure that they behave!_

 _We will arrest you,_

 _As we've oppressed you_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _You don't make trouble_

 _Or it'll be doubled_

 _To your dismay!_

 _If you step one toe out of line_

 _We'll lock you up and wipe your mind!_

 _Top-secret compound,_

 _Deep under the ground,_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

From offstage, Appa's tail reappears, flattening Long Feng beneath it. As the Dai Li leader struggles to get out from under the heavy fur, the Dai Li at the back of the stage begin dancing, some of them pulling off their hats and using them as bongos as Aang sings. The Earth King and Bosco the pet bear enter and start waltzing together across the stage.

Aang: _We can't reach the king_

 _To tell what we know,_

 _The Dai Li above,_

 _The compound below,_

 _The brain-washing scheme,_

 _We're sensing a theme,_

 _This may take a bit of thought_

 _(Hmm)_

 _We'll have to sneak in_

 _Past all of the guards_

 _Avoid the pet bear—_

 _Don't want to get scarred_

 _And convince the king_

 _He's on Long Feng's string—_

 _Above all, don't get caught!_

The Aang Gang reach the Earth King and point accusingly at Long Feng. The king claps his hands and the Dai Li circle their leader, preparing to arrest him. Long Feng continues to sing, narrowly evading capture as he dances around the stage.

Long Feng: _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _I'm not king here_

 _But the puppeteer!_

 _I run this ballet!_

 _What happens now?_

 _Under arrest?_

 _Go right ahead, you be my guest!_

 _Put me behind bars,_

 _But I'm never far_

 _From Ba Sing Se!_

 _Throw away the key,_

 _But I will be free_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

 _I'm still in charge here,_

 _That won't disappear_

 _In this dark hour,_

 _I have the power_

 _I'm still the big boss,_

 _That you have dared cross_

 _In Ba Sing Se!_

Long Feng comes to a stop in the center of the stage, ending the song on a dramatic note with his arms outstretched. As he is finally still, the Dai Li are able to grab him, putting handcuffs on and leading him offstage. Walking off, Long Feng gives a loud obnoxious laugh. His laugh merges with the high feminine laugh of Azula, who appears onstage behind everyone in the makeup of a Kyoshi warrior. She smiles secretively as the lights darken to black.


	7. 2-3 Downhill From Here

2.3 Downhill From Here

The lights slowly illuminate onstage once more, revealing the setting has changed to that of a throne room, bedecked in Earth Kingdom colors. The Aang Gang lounge in poufs and beanbag chairs, making themselves quite at home, though the Earth King is nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, a loud recorded ding echoes, followed by a mechanical voice saying "You've got mail!"

A sound can be heard of a mail shoot opening, and several envelopes flutter down from above. Katara, Aang, and Sokka each catch one. The fourth envelope drops all the way to the floor, as Toph was unable to see it arriving to catch it in the first place. Aang stoops and hands it to her.

The four rip into the envelopes. Then they all exclaim at once, talking over each other as they explain who their missives are from.

Sokka: "It's from Dad! He wants some father-son bonding time!"

Katara: "Ooh! The Kyoshi Warriors are in town and they're inviting me to a slumber party tonight! Sounds like fun!"

Aang: "Some random guy I've never met and never heard of wants to teach me about the Avatar State! This doesn't seem suspicious at all!"

Toph: "The king of the badger moles is asking for my hand in marriage!"

Katara, Aang and Sokka gape at Toph, mouths open. "Wait, what?" Sokka asks.

Toph holds up the letter, then waves her hand in front of her sightless eyes. "Just kidding. Could anyone help me read this?"

Katara takes it and skims the contents before telling Toph, "Your mom is in town and wants to see you."

Sokka whispers to Aang "See, _that_ makes more sense."

Toph smiles widely. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

The four split up and walk to four parts of the stage, with Aang in the middle, and the other three each claiming a different corner. Sokka is joined at his place by an older man bearing a distinct resemblance to him—his father. Hakoda hands Sokka a fishing rod, and the two sit down at the end of the stage, letting their lines trail down into the orchestra pit.

Aang is also joined by another person, a bearded man wearing a loincloth and little else. The two sit cross-legged side by side, meditating.

At her position at downstage left, Katara is suddenly surrounded by three girls wearing Kyoshi Warrior garb and makeup. Though they all hold pillows and sleeping bags to support their 'slumber party' story, Katara is not fooled. She gasps in horror as she recognizes Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai behind the heavy makeup, but there is nothing to be done—she is trapped.

Meanwhile, a heavy metal cage falls down around Toph, trapping her as well. The two girls gasp in dismay at their respective predicaments, but the boys remain oblivious.

From their different positions around the stage, the members of the Aang Gang face the audience and begin to sing together, holding up their hands to display the envelopes that they received.

 **"Split Problems"**

To the tune of "Baby One More Time" by Britney Spears

Sung by The Aang Gang

The Aang Gang: _We got these letters,_

 _They're pulling us all away_

 _To very different places_

 _And now these letters_

 _Have led all of us astray_

 _And now we're separated_

Katara: _I'm here_

 _but I've been imprisoned_

 _Sokka's gone,_

 _he's off to help our dad to fight the war_

Toph: _They've locked me up,_

 _A metal cage (but I)_

 _I will get out_

 _I'll metalbend (Metalbend!)_

Aang _: I'm learning how to control my mind_

 _And not to pine_

The Aang Gang: _For the friends I've left behind!_

Toph grabs the bars of her cage and slowly begins to pull them apart, bending the metal with her bare hands. Meanwhile, Aang opens his eyes and glances towards Katara's side of the stage, at last noticing that she is in trouble. He jumps up to his feet, cutting his meditating short. The guru grabs his arm, attempting to stop him from rushing to Katara's aid.

Aang: _The guru tells me_

 _To enter the Avatar State,_

 _I need to check my feelings_

 _But now I've sensed it_

 _That Katara is in tough straits_

 _And now I'll rush to her aid_

Katara: _I'm here_

 _but I've been imprisoned_

 _Sokka's gone,_

 _he's off to help our dad to fight the war_

Toph: _They've locked me up,_

 _A metal cage (but I)_

 _I will get out_

 _I'll metalbend (Metalbend!)_

Aang: _I was learning to control my mind,_

 _But now I'll find_

 _All the friends I left behind!_

With one last effort, Toph breaks open the cage that is holding her and steps out between the bars. At the same time, Aang breaks free of the guru's grasp and brings his fingers to his mouth. He gives a sharp, piercing whistle.

"Aang Gang! Assemble!"

Sokka and Toph both rush over to Aang, and the three exit the stage, on their way to save Katara—but taking the long way around. Katara tries to join her friends as well, but is prevented by Ty Lee and Mai. The two seize her arms and force her into the same metal cage that Toph has just escaped from, closing the door and tying it clumsily together again with rope. Azula stands back and watches with satisfaction.

"Now, don't worry!" Azula assures Katara. "You won't get lonely—we have a friend for you!"

The sound of a doorbell rings across the stage. Azula smiles even wider. "And here he is now!"

Zuko enters stage left, carrying a large teapot. "Someone ordered takeout?" he asks, before he catches sight of his sister. He drops the teapot and settles into a fighting stance, but he is not quick enough. Mai and Ty Lee seize his arms as well so he can't firebend, and shut him into the cage with Katara. As the cage is not meant for two people, they have difficulty shutting the door again, but still manage in the end. Then Azula gestures for her cohorts to follow her as they exit the stage, laughing uproariously.

From her rather cramped position inside the cage, Katara groans loudly. "As though things couldn't get any worse, now I'm stuck in here with you!"

Zuko frowns. "Well, _I_ didn't ask for this! This is like a bad fanfiction story, where two people who hate each other are shut into a closet together. What are we supposed to do now, fall in love?"

They both snort in derision.

"Fat chance!" Katara says. "You're evil!"

Zuko pauses. "Actually…no I'm not. I've had a change of heart—a major one. My character has been as tortured as my face ever since my father burned it, but I'm turning over a new leaf. I'm a redeemable character, I swear."

Katara looks at him skeptically, but still a bit hopeful. "Really?"

Zuko nods and sings:

 **"Shades of Grey Reprise"**

To the tune of "Endangered Love" by Veggie Tales

Sung by Katara and Zuko

Zuko: _I'm trying to change_

Katara: _You are?_

Zuko: _Sure am, since being on the lamb, ma'am._

Katara: _Well if that's the case,_

 _You've given up your chase_

 _I'll try to heal your face_

 _Using this bottle that I got that's full of water from the spirit world._

Zuko: _Wow. So tell me, can it really do all that?_

 _Don't lie. Can it really do all that?_

Katara: _Yes it can._

Zuko: _It can?_

Katara: _Yes._

Zuko: _But I can't._

Katara: _Let's be friends._

Zuko: _I can't._

Katara: _Be friends._

Zuko: _I can't._

Katara: _Friends_!

Zuko: _Can't_!

Katara: _Friends, friends!_

Zuko: _Can't, can't!_

Zuko: _As I choose my way,_

 _I face shades of grey!_

As Zuko holds out his last note, the remaining members of the Aang Gang enter the stage. Iroh follows behind them a moment later, puffing heavily. "Man, I really need to work out!" he says to no one in particular.

Aang sees Katara in the cage. "Don't worry, we'll get you out! Toph just invented metalbending ten minutes ago, so that's definitely a thing now!"

Aang seems to see Zuko for the first time and draws back a little. His voice has a slight hint of jealousy when he speaks. "What is _he_ doing in there with you?"

Katara waves away his concern. "Don't worry about it! Haven't you heard? He's really nice now, right Zuko?"

Zuko offers a weak smile, and Katara is convinced. Sokka shrugs. "Okay, if you say so. Do your thing, Toph!"

"What thing?" Iroh asks. "The door isn't even locked. Did _neither_ of you think to check that you were _actually_ trapped?

Zuko reaches out a hand and pushes at the door. It swings open easily. Embarrassed, he and Katara step out of the cage.

"Now," Aang says. "We need to find Azula before she completely takes over Ba Sing Se!"

Toph feels the ground with her feet. "There she is now!"

The light dims slightly on their group as the focus shifts downstage, where Azula has suddenly appeared. Ty Lee and Mai both stand behind her, as well as several members of the Dai Li. Facing them is Long Feng, standing alone.

"So to make a long story short," Azula says, her voice rather bored. "The Dai Li belong to me now. Finders keepers."

Katara moans. "Oh no! That means Azula's completely taken over Ba Sing Se!"

Long Feng sputters in indignation. "But you can't do that! The Dai Li are _my_ friends, not yours!"

Azula examines her nails. "You, Long Feng, are a traitor to your nation. You have no honor."

Zuko seems to spasm at her words, and takes a step towards his sister and away from the group of good guys.

Azula smiles, looking at their group out of the corner of her eye, but still addressing Long Feng when she begins to sing.

 **"Fall of Ba Sing Se"**

To the tune of "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz

Sung by The Aang Gang, Azula, Zuko, Aang, Iroh, Katara

Azula: _Well, you're out of prison and you're ready to lead now_

 _But I'm afraid you'll have to forfeit your greed now_

 _I'm leading the Dai Li in a twist you should've seen_

 _And you know it's your fault that your people distrust you_

 _With the treason you've pulled I've no choice but to bust you_

 _But in the end you get to choose, to give up or lose_

The Dai Li—led by Ty Lee—dance a jive behind Azula as she sings. Mai on the other hand remains motionless, her arms crossed over her chest and a sour expression on her face. She hates dancing. The group of good guys—Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Iroh, and Zuko (?)—mimic the Dai Li's movements when they begin to sing their part in the chorus.

The Aang Gang and Iroh: _For Ba Sing Se will fall, it's clear, it's clear_

 _We've done our all, we fear!_

Zuko breaks away slightly from the group, facing the audience as he addresses his crossroads dilemma in song.

Zuko: _Well now I have a choice that I will make_

 _Have to choose the path that I will take_

 _Have to choose my sister or the Avatar, oh_

 _In the end I know I'll choose my sister_

 _though she's such a pain_

 _'Cause my honor I'll regain_

 _And I'll finally catch up to the Avatar, oh yeah!_

Zuko shoots a fireball at the Avatar. Though Aang is able to avoid the attack easily, the effects of Zuko's betrayal against their group is immediate: Iroh throws his hands up into the air in frustration, and Katara visibly deflates, her hopes of his redemption dashed. The entire Aang Gang seem to lose heart, and their next version of the chorus sounds slightly more hopeless than the first they sang.

All: _For Ba Sing Se will fall, it's clear, it's clear_

 _We've done our all, it's near!_

 _The Fire Nation has taken hold so strong_

 _We cannot shake our fear!_

Aang gets ahold of himself, realizing the inevitability of their loss.

Unless…

His tattoos and eyes begin to glow blue as he enters the Avatar state. While the Dai Li all cower in fear, Azula sneaks on her tiptoes to try to get around to his back, where he will not be able to see her.

Aang: _Now I've finally arrived_

 _And found the Avatar State_

 _At last accepting my fate_

Azula shoots a bolt of lightning at Aang's back—a cowardly attack, through and through. Even Azula's own teammates seem disturbed. Katara, Sokka and Toph are all standing below Aang, and between the three of them, they are able to catch him when he falls.

Iroh: _The Avatar is down and he's critically injured_

 _He may never recover from the pain that he's endured_

 _And I can't believe my eyes_

 _And so I'm choosing my new allies_

 _My nephew and my niece have both decided to betray me_

 _And yet I know there's no way Zuko'll ever try to slay me_

 _He'll come around one day_

 _To Ozai's dismay_

All: _For Ba Sing Se will fall, it's clear, it's clear_

 _We've done our all, it's near!_

The Aang Gang escape to the foot of the stage, carrying Aang's unconscious body between them. Iroh jumps into the fray to distract Azula as the Aang Gang tries to revive their Avatar.

Katara: _Well now I have a choice that I will make_

 _Have to choose the path that I will take_

 _And yet I find it easy for me to heal this boy_

 _I'll heal him, heal him, heal him!_

 _The Fire Nation has taken hold but they won't know he's safe_

 _We've done, we've done, we've done our all,_

 _We fear_!

In the final notes of the song, Iroh is defeated and shut into the now over-used metal cage—though _this_ time, Azula ensures that it is locked. All the same, Iroh has achieved his purpose—the Aang Gang has managed to escape.

Perched at the foot of the stage, the Aang Gang gathers around Aang's prone body. Katara reaches into her belt and pulls out her oh-so-special spirit water—a Super-Soaker. Aiming at Aang's back, she pulls the trigger and drenches the Avatar with water.

Upstage, Azula faces Zuko with a smirk on her face. "We've won, Zuzu. Father will treat us like heroes, give us the highest honors. We've done what no one—not even Uncle could: Ba Sing Se is fallen. And what's more…the Avatar is dead!" Her laugh fills the theatre as the lights dim for the second intermission.

Just before the curtain closes, Aang's finger is seen to twitch.

END ACT II


	8. 3-1 The Fire Nation

3.1 The Fire Nation

The curtain opens on the third act, revealing a stage set with a simple town scene, the Fire Nation insignia hanging from every doorway. Random townspeople are milling about onstage, going about their daily business. None of them notice when a cardboard ship enters from stage right. It is held up by The Aang Gang, who hide their faces behind the cardboard smokestacks, their feet still showing in the gap between the bottom of the ship and the stage. They 'dock' in the right corner of the stage nearest the audience, and 'disembark' cautiously, looking around them as they come fully into view. Aang is the last to emerge, rubbing his back with a pained look on his face. As soon as he joins the group, Sokka sighs and shakes his head, pointing at Aang's arrow.

"You can't go around showing people that! People might get suspicious!"

He digs in his bag, pulling out a badly-styled mullet wig. Aang scowls as Sokka places the wig on his head, turning it around backwards so that the mullet covers his arrow. Katara laughs, then attempt to disguise it as a cough.

Sokka cocks his head to one side, considering Aang's disguise. He digs in his bag again, pulling out large, ornate glasses. Aang takes them, but rather than putting them on, he gazes at them sadly.

Katara puts her hand on his shoulder. "It won't be forever. We all just need to keep our heads down for now. It's our best chance to catch them off guard."

Aang nods and, putting on the glasses, he faces the audience and begins to sing.

 **"Hidden Hero"**

(To the tune of "I Guess That's Why They Call it the Blues" by Elton John)

Sung by Aang and Katara

Aang: _They all think I'm dead_

 _They think that I was killed by Azula_

 _And without me there_

 _For those who've been misled_

 _The war will seem even more tough_

 _I'll stay out of sight_

 _I know that's smarter for me_

 _But I hate the thought_

 _That they'll feel distraught_

 _When I'm still as alive as can be_

As Aang and Katara begin singing the chorus, all four of them start donning Fire Nation outfits of various designs.

Both: _But for now we'll keep our noses down_

 _And in disguise,_

 _We may help out a town_

 _Living among them_

 _Hiding our faces_

 _Working our way into their good graces_

 _And so for now we'll keep our noses down_

Toph and Sokka, now fully disguised, sway to the music in the background. Aang and Katara once again add to their disguises; Katara paints lines on her face with red paint, and puts a straw hat on her head to mimic the Painted Lady. Aang finally takes off his mullet wig, replacing it with a headband. He leaves the glasses on, however.

Katara: _They're not treated right_

 _And yet they don't fight this way of life_

 _Yet they still believe_

 _That spirits still bless them_

 _And slowly chip off from their strife_

Aang: _We'll take a stand_

 _Try to diminish their load_

 _And help them have fun_

 _And soon they'll realize_

 _They want the life that we showed_

Both: _But for now we'll keep our noses down_

 _And in disguise,_

 _We may help out a town_

 _Living among them_

 _Hiding our faces_

 _Working our way into their good graces_

 _And so for now we'll keep our noses down_

Katara and Aang are now dancing around the stage in synchronized interpretive dance, complete with large arm motions. As she dances, Katara wipes the paint off her face dramatically, leaving an occasional red smear behind. She flings the straw boater hat into the audience.

Katara: _We'll take a stand_

 _Try to diminish their load_

 _And help them have fun_

 _And soon they'll realize_

 _They want the life that we showed_

 _But for now we'll keep our noses down_

 _And in disguise,_

 _We may help out a town_

 _Living among them_

 _Hiding our faces_

 _Working our way into their good graces_

 _And so for now we'll keep our noses down_

 _And so for now we'll keep our noses down_

 _And so for now we'll keep our noses down_

 _And so for now we'll keep our noses down_

Katara and Aang end the song with a flourish, with Aang performing a triple mid-air flip and landing on Katara's shoulders, arms outstretched. They are both breathing hard. Toph and Sokka stop swaying and applaud politely. Now effectively disguised, the Aang Gang begin milling about in the town, picking up supplies.

Katara, Aang and Toph all use bending in small, subtle ways to help both themselves and the villagers around them. Toph uses earthbending to create a makeshift hiding place for all of them as a Fire Nation guard walks by. Aang uses airbending to cool off some soup that an old woman is eating, and Katara uses waterbending to fill everyone's buckets with water.

Sokka regards all of them, sticking his bottom lip out petulantly. "It's just not fair." He kicks at a stone with his foot. The other three glance at each other and shrug, slightly confused.

"What do you mean, Sokka?" Katara asks.

Before he can answer, a commotion erupts at the left hand corner of the stage. A man stands with his arms behind his back, an impressive sword hanging from his belt. A group of teenagers throw themselves on the ground around him, groveling. Among them is a very tall, blue cat-person with long black hair and a tail. The entire group is saying, "Please, Master Piandao! Teach us!"

Piandao shook his head. "No. I will teach only one the art of swordplay. And none of you are worthy. I seek one who is as versatile and changeable as water."

Hearing this, Aang, Katara and Toph all light up and look towards the man speaking. But Sokka isn't paying attention.

"You've all had masters to teach you cool stuff. All I have is my boomerang."

From his platform, Piandao continues describing his ideal student. "I seek a pupil who is witty and imaginative. Perhaps one who has a younger sibling, so he—or she—knows the meaning of responsibility."

The three Aang Gang benders are now gesturing wildly at Piandao. Sokka remains oblivious. He is now throwing his boomerang again and again, muttering "It always comes back. No skill whatsoever."

Piandao now makes his way across the stage so that he is standing directly in front of Sokka, though he still faces the audience. "The pupil I seek is one who has traveled the world, made friends in all places. And it wouldn't hurt if he knew the Avatar."

At the word "Avatar", two things happen: first, the blue cat-person meows loudly and gestures to himself with wild hand motions. Secondly, Toph stomps her foot, trapping Sokka in earth and forcing him to face Piandao and listen as the swordmaster finishes his wish list.

"And you know, if I had to choose a name for my ideal student, I wouldn't want it to be a typical Fire Nation name like 'Li'. There are a thousand 'Li's. I think I'd like a name like…Sokka."

Sokka's jaw drops, and he screeches, "THAT'S ME!"

The rest of the Aang Gang throw their hands in the air as if to say "Finally!". All of the grovelers groan and begin slinking off. The blue cat-person hisses as he exits the stage. Piandao turns to face Sokka in surprise. "Well, whaddaya know." He says.

Sokka works his way free of his earth prison with his boomerang, and begins singing.

 **"I'm the Fighter of the Group"**

To the tune of "Dancing With Myself" by Billy Idol

Sung by Sokka

Sokka: _I'm the one who cannot bend_

 _Out of all of my close friends_

 _Though I have my boomerang_

 _I want another thing_

 _As the fighter of the group_

 _So now I'll become a pro_

 _That's the only way to go_

 _I will learn to fight_

 _'Cause I know it's right_

 _I'm the fighter of the group_

 _The fighter of the group,_

 _The fighter of the group_

 _I'll at last have a master_

 _And I'll learn it much faster_

 _As the fighter of the group_

As Sokka sings, Piandao leads him in various exercises such as push-ups, jumping jacks, and toe touches. Piandao keeps count by clapping his hands to the beat.

 _Master Piandao wants to train me_

 _And I know his classes drain me,_

 _Still I'll take my chance_

 _Learn the proper stance_

 _As the fighter of the group_

 _Though I know I am unique_

 _I can stand master's critique_

 _That's why he chose me_

 _Though his patience throws me_

 _As the fighter of the group_

 _The fighter of the group,_

 _The fighter of the group_

 _I'll at last have a master_

 _And I'll learn it much faster_

 _As the fighter of the group_

While Sokka continues his exercises, Toph summons a piece of metal from above her. She works it in her hands, creating a sword. As soon as it's finished, she throws it to Sokka, who catches it after completing an impressive somersaulting routine.

 _I was told to forge a sword_

 _And while metal I can't afford_

 _A comet fell to earth_

 _And I'll know its worth_

 _As the fighter of the group_

 _So it's just as cool as me_

 _And I think that you'll agree_

 _When I'm finally done_

 _I will be number one_

 _As the fighter of the group_

Sokka and Piandao begin swordfighting around the entire stage, with the remaining three members of the Aang Gang circling around them nervously.

 _The fighter of the group_

 _The fighter of the group_

 _When I'm finally done,_

 _I will be number one_

 _When I'm finally done_

 _I will be number one_

 _When I'm finally done_

 _I will be number one_

(Musical Interlude)

 _The fighter of the group_

 _The fighter of the group_

 _The fighter of the group_

 _The fighter of the group_

As Sokka finishes singing, he and Piandao cross swords one last time before freezing in a deadlock. Piandao steps back and bows to Sokka, symbolizing the completion of his training. Toph, Katara and Aang all bow as well. Sokka, grinning broadly, thrusts his fist in the air in trumph.

Blackout.


	9. 3-2 Mustering Sides

3.2 Mustering Sides

When the lights illuminate onstage once more, very little has actually changed from the previous scene. Sokka still remains in the middle of the stage with his space sword, with Aang, Katara, and Toph gathered around him. However, the background of the stage now includes a cardboard cutout of the Fire Nation Palace, complete with a badly painted sign overhead that reads "This Way to Fire Lord Ozai." Piandao has also been replaced by a multitude of other characters, including Hakoda and Haru, as well as other people dressed in Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe clothing. The group gather around Sokka at the front of the stage as though in a football huddle.

Sokka gets down on one knee to speak to the lot of them, his eyes intense and his voice serious.

"Okay, men." He says.

"And women." Katara chimes in.

"And women." Sokka nods towards her. "This is it."

"The big one!" Toph says.

"The one we've all been waiting for!" Aang adds, a joking smile on his face.

Everyone stares at the two-person peanut gallery, and Toph explains. "We memorized Sokka's speech last night after he practiced it for the fiftieth time."

"Shut up, you two!" Sokka huffs, then continues. "The invasion today is going to go off without a hitch, I can feel it! We're ready for this! By the end of the day, the Fire Nation will be in flames, and Fire Lord Ozai will be nothing but ashes in the wind!"

Haru pumps his hand in the air. "Yeah!" he says, but is quickly hushed by everyone else. No one wants to miss Sokka's next inspiring words.

He turns to Aang and punches him on the shoulder. "The whole fate of the world is resting on you, but no pressure or anything, buddy."

"Jeez. Thanks, Sokka."

"You're welcome! Now, everyone put your hands in!"

The huddle put their hands in the middle of the circle.

"One, two, three, _Avatar_!"

As the group shout the last word, a catchy rock beat begins to play, and the lighting onstage suddenly changes, becoming almost bluish to represent the beginning of the solar eclipse. Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe members pair with each other to dance a fast-paced jive. The Aang Gang also match with each other at the very front of the stage, Sokka dancing with Toph and Katara with Aang. Sokka starts to sing.

 **"Solar Eclipse"**

To the tune of "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry

Sung by The Aang Gang and Azula

Sokka: _We've gathered here_

 _All allies in a gang_

 _To launch an attack_

 _And help out our friend Aang_

 _A fight is ahead_

 _That could be dangerous_

 _In the end,_

 _The winners will be us!_

The Aang Gang: _The eclipse is our chance_

 _To make an advance_

 _We'll strike when they're weak_

 _And Aang's at his peak_

 _He'll find the bad guy_

 _And challenge Ozai_

 _While we've got the rest_

 _There'll be no contest_

 _This'll be the perfect plan, yeah_

 _And it'll work out in the end, oh_

 _The eclipse is our chance_

 _To make an advance_

 _We'll strike when they're weak_

 _And Aang's at his peak_

Through the course of the first part of the song, the Aang Gang start wandering around the stage, coming closer and closer to the Palace cutout at the back. Yet still no one appears to challenge them, even as they draw closer. Aang stops dancing to knock on the door, yet there is still no response.

Aang: _Wait, something's wrong_

 _'Cause there's nobody here_

 _Yet how can it be,_

 _That our path is so clear?_

 _It is clear, that they knew_

 _That today was the day_

 _And now they will stay out of the way!_

The Aang Gang: _The eclipse is our chance_

 _To make an advance_

 _We'll strike when they're weak_

 _And Aang's at his peak_

 _He'll find the bad guy_

 _And challenge Ozai_

 _While we've got the rest_

 _There'll be no contest_

 _This'll be the perfect plan, yeah_

 _And it'll work out in the end, oh_

 _The eclipse is our chance_

 _To make an advance_

 _We'll strike when they're weak_

 _And Aang's at his peak_

(Musical Interlude)

Suddenly, Azula appears from behind the cardboard Fire Nation Palace, followed not by Fire Nation soldiers, but by members of the Dai Li. The Dai Li immediately cut into the jive pairings around the stage so that each is dancing with a member of the attacking rebellion. Azula, on the other hand, merely leans casually against the palace and watches the chaos with relish.

Azula: _Hey there! Whatcha doin'?_

 _I bet I know who you're pursuing!_

 _But I'll be your plan's undoing!_

 _You'll never reach my dad_

Sokka: _We've gathered here_

 _All allies in a gang_

The Aang Gang: _The eclipse was our chance_

 _To make an advance_

 _We'd strike when they're weak_

 _With Aang at his peak_

 _He'd find the bad guy_

 _And challenge Ozai_

 _While we had the rest_

 _But they must have guessed_

 _The eclipse was our chance_

 _To make an advance_

 _We'd strike when they're weak_

 _With Aang at his peak_

 _He'd find the bad guy_

 _And challenge Ozai_

 _While we had the rest_

 _But they must have guessed_

 _It was the perfect plan, yeah_

 _But it went south in the end, oh_

 _The eclipse was our chance_

 _To make an advance_

 _We'd strike when they're weak_

 _With Aang at his peak._

The end of the song also marks the end of the eclipse, as the lights return to normal onstage. The dancing pairs finish with a flourish, where the Dai Li members dip their partners so that their heads nearly touch the ground. Simultaneously, they create handcuffs of stone to arrest the members of the rebellion. The Aang Gang are the only ones who remain unfettered, as they were not partnered with the Dai Li. Still, they are trapped in the middle of the stage, surrounded by enemy Dai Li, with Azula now returned to full firebending power.

Azula smiles at them. "You're outnumbered. You might as well surrender too."

A rope ladder drops from the ceiling, landing smack dab on Sokka's head. "Ow!" he cries, rubbing at his scalp. A male voice shouts from above, though the person is hidden from view.

"Climb on! Let's get out of here!"

Toph pushes Aang towards the rope. "What are you waiting for, Twinkle-Toes? It's our only shot!"

The four begin to climb. Azula screams in rage and shoots a lightning bolt at them, but her aim is off and she misses entirely. The rope holding the Aang Gang is pulled up out of sight.

Azula shades her eyes and looks up after it. "Wait. An air balloon? I know that balloon!" She shakes her head. "Dad _really_ isn't going to like this." She stalks offstage with the Dai Li following her, each dragging their captive.

Moments after they exit, the rope ladder once again drops from the ceiling and the Aang Gang climb down. They are accompanied, however, by their rescuer—none other than Prince Zuko himself.

Sokka shakes his head. "Well, that was a plot twist! I didn't see that coming at all!"

"Neither did I." Toph adds, her voice dry.

Zuko shrugs. "I got sick of playing second fiddle to a crazy sister _and_ a crazy dad. My uncle was right all along. And like I said earlier in the second act, I really _am_ a redeemable character."

"Huh." Katara is not convinced.

"It's true!" Zuko pleads. "And I'll prove it, I promise! I've got loads of mad skills to help you! Just wait and see!" Opening his mouth, the Fire Nation prince sings:

 **"Field Trips With Zuko"**

To the tune of "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

Sung by Zuko and the Aang Gang

Zuko: _I have traveled here in an air balloon_

 _To let you guys know I've changed my tune_

 _Now that I have chosen to join your side_

 _I hope you won't brush my apology aside_

During Zuko's solo, the Aang Gang start to sway, snapping their fingers to the jazzy beat. Zuko joins their motion as well, though standing slightly separated from their group by a couple of steps.

The Aang Gang: _So at last_

 _We've finally got him on our team_

 _To bring down_

 _And to end the Fire King's regime_

 _He can join our little band_

 _With his help we can go_

 _On field trips with Zuko_

 _There are things he knows firsthand_

 _That'll help us strike a blow_

 _On field trips with Zuko!_

Aang: _He can finally help me firebend!_

Sokka: _And our friends' imprisonment he'll end!_

Katara: _He tracked down the guy who killed my mom_

Zuko: _Helping you guys out helps me feel calm!_

At each of the preceding lines, Zuko inches a tad closer in his dancing to the others onstage.

The Aang Gang: _So at last_

 _We've finally got him on our team_

 _To bring down_

 _And to end the Fire King's regime_

 _He can join our little band_

 _For with his help we can go_

 _On field trips with Zuko_

 _There are things he knows firsthand_

 _That'll help us strike a blow_

 _On field trips with Zuko!_

By the time the last line is sung, Zuko is standing with the others, a tried-and-true member of the Aang Gang now.

"Welcome to the club, _Zuzu."_ Sokka says in a slightly mocking sing-song voice, grabbing the Fire Nation prince around the neck to give him an affectionate nougie. Zuko fixes his hair and smiles in pride, glad to be accepted.

Toph kicks her foot at the stage. "It's not fair." She says out of the blue. "Everyone got to go on a field trip with Zuko except me."

Katara puts her arm around Toph's shoulders to comfort her, but is shrugged off.

"No problem, Toph!" Aang says cheerfully. "It's your turn now! I'm sure Zuko won't mind!"

Zuko hesitates just a second before saying, "Well, I actually _am_ just a bit tired. Maybe—"

Sokka interrupts him before he can get another word in. "See? Zuko doesn't mind." He pulls a newspaper out of his satchel. "Let's see what's around that you guys can visit!"

He scans the paper.

"There's a cool looking rock shaped like a penguin off the southern coast."

"A nice view then, is it?" Toph asks dryly.

It takes a minute for Sokka to take her meaning. "Oh. Right." He buries his head back into the paper. "Hey! The Ember Island Players are putting on a play about us!" He looks up at the rest of them excitedly. "Do you want to see it?"

Everyone's responses are immediate.

"No way."

"As if."

"Nah."

"Over my dead body."

Sokka deflates a bit at the sheer negativity. "Geesh. Tough crowd." He returns his attention back to the paper. Not a moment later, he yelps in half-surprise, half horror.

"Guys! There's a story in here about the Fire Lord!"

Zuko grabs the paper and reads the headline aloud. "Fire Lord Ozai Promotes Himself to… _Phoenix King_?"

At his words, the light on the Aang Gang dims slightly, shifting the focus away from them. A spotlight appears at the corner of the stage, and Fire Lord Ozai is visible for the first time in full light. He is a tall and imposing, handsome in a dark, evil—looking way. He wears long, flowing robes and a gaudy jeweled crown on his head. Standing right behind him in slight shadow is his daughter, looking not overly pleased at being (literally) overshadowed, even by her father.

"Azula." Ozai says, snapping his fingers. "Cue the dramatic rain."

Azula hesitates, confused. "But…we're Fire Nation, Dad! Don't we hate rain?"

Ozai stiffens. "I _said_ ," he repeats. "Cue the rain. This song is going to be dramatic, and for that, I need rain. _I want it that way_."

Shrugging, Azula claps her hands, cueing a light drizzle to fall at the corner of the stage where the Fire Lord stands. Ozai shakes his now-wet hair out of his face and smirks. "Perfect. What I want, I get. And what I want is to be…the _Phoenix King_." Then, speaking in an aside to the audience: "It's like King of the World, only with a more awesome title."

A moderate beat begins to play, and the self-named Phoenix King elaborates further in song:

 **"Phoenix King"**

To the tune of "I Want it That Way" by the Backstreet Boys

Sung by Ozai and Azula

Ozai: _Now it is my time_

 _I'll be in my prime_

 _My throne I'll bestow,_

 _As my power grows_

 _To you, the child that I claim,_

 _Lightning to my flame._

 _I will show_

 _How my power grows!_

Ozai poses as he sings, flexing his muscles impressively in various positions meant to display his strength. Behind him, Azula unties a small bag from her waist and begins throwing small handfuls of confetti and glitter onto her father's head.

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'm awesome and I know it!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I've found a way to show it!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'll conquer every last plateau!_

 _As my power grows!_

Ozai: _You'll take your place now_

 _The crown on your brow_

 _And the world, I'll overthrow_

 _As all of my power grows!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'm awesome and I know it!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I've found a way to show it!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'll conquer every last plateau!_

 _As my power grows!_

Azula pauses in her confetti-throwing to sing her solo, crushing the bag slightly in her grasp in her intensity. When she resumes throwing the glitter, she alternates between tossing handfuls onto her father, and also tossing the occasional handful onto her own head as well.

Azula: _Now I can see that at last I will rule_

 _Though you'll still be over me, yeah_

 _While I get a nation,_

 _Your throne is the world_

 _But they'll still bow down to me!_

Ozai: _Now it is my time_

 _I am in my prime_

 _My prime, my prime, my prime_

Azula: _You've gained new power!_

Ozai: _I'm awesome and I know it!_

 _I've found a way to show it!_

 _I'll conquer every last plateau!_

 _As my power grows!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'm awesome and I know it!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I've found a way to show it!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'll conquer every last plateau!_

 _As my power grows!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'm awesome and I know it!_

 _I've found a way to show it!_

(Azula: _Phoenix King!)_

Ozai: _I'll conquer every last plateau!_

 _As my power grows!_

 _Now all of my power grows!_

Fire Lord—excuse me, _Phoenix King_ —Ozai ends the song with a macho pose, flexing his muscles above his head. Azula tosses the last handful of glitter onto her father, though it is entirely unnecessary—he is already sparkling more than the vampires in Twilight. The spotlight focusing on the two of them goes dark, and the lights on the Aang Gang brighten once more. Katara, Aang, and Sokka are all gathered around Zuko, reading the newspaper announcement over his shoulder. Toph is sitting cross-legged on the stage, looking thoroughly bored and frustrated at not being able to read it herself.

Aang looks up from the news story at the audience, and sums up all of their feelings in two words:

"Well, crap."


	10. 3-3 The Final Battle

3.3 The Other Side

Following Phoenix King's Ozai epic name change in the last scene, the Aang Gang remains in similar positions in the middle of the stage. Sokka crumples up the newspaper in his hands, and Aang and Zuko both light it on fire with flames from their fingertips.

"Guys." Aang says seriously. "We can't let Ozai be King of the World like that! _Everything_ will change when the Fire Nation attacks!"

"No kidding." Toph says, crossing her arms.

"Yeah!" Zuko agrees. "Not to mention his plan to completely destroy the Earth Kingdom during the comet's passing!" The other four gape at this announcement, and Zuko pauses. "Oh…did I not mention before that was what he was going to do? My bad."

Aang straightened his shoulders. "Well. You know what this means, guys: It's time for the final battle. We'll have to defeat the Fire Nation for good—excluding Zuko, of course. No offense, Zuko."

"None taken."

"But to do that…" Sokka adds, "We'll need help! Atten- _hut_!"

An array of cast members rush onstage and line up in military precision: Suki, King Bumi, Hakoda, Piandao, and Pakku.

Ever the strategist, Sokka claps his hands together and begins firing off orders to those who have gathered.

"Dad, Bumi, Piandao, Pakku—you defend the Earth Kingdom. Keep the Fire Nation from destroying it. Oh, and bring lots of extinguishers—you'll need it!" The characters mentioned nod in acceptance and then rush offstage once more. Sokka continues giving orders.

"Zuko, Katara—you go take down Azula. Fire and water together should beat lightning, right?"

"Uh…right." Katara says, not looking entirely convinced. She pulls Zuko offstage.

"Toph, Suki and I will take down the Fire Nation's airships en route to Ba Sing Se." Suki and Toph nod and exit the stage as Sokka turns to deliver the final task to Aang. "And Aang. You already know what you needs to do. Defeat Ozai. Do whatever it takes…even if it kills him."

Aang hesitates. "I…I'm not sure I can do that."

Sokka breathes in deeply. "Try." He says, before following Suki and Toph offstage. Aang takes a deep breath and then exits as well in the opposite direction.

Seconds after he leaves, the backlight turns on at the back of the stage, illuminating the Fire Nation throne. However, it is not Ozai who sits on it this time, but Azula, lounging with her legs over the arm of the throne in a rather uncomfortable-looking pose. Her hair—normally so well-coifed—is unevenly cut, and her clothes are in disarray. Azula wears a ruby-encrusted tiara at an angle on her head. She mutters incessantly under her breath, "Banish 'em! Banish 'em all! All the traitors! All of 'em!"

Zuko and Katara enter from stage right, strolling onto the stage unopposed.

"Is it just me, or was it way too easy to get in here?" Katara asks Zuko. "Don't you guys have any security? Like, at all?"

Zuko looks around. "Well, we _did_."

"I banished them all!" Azula shouts at them. "They were all traitors! None of them were worthy to serve me!" Jumping up to stand on the throne, she begins belting out her song while Katara and Zuko stare at her incredulously.

 **"Crazy and Brilliant" Reprise**

To the tune of "Bad Reputation" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Sung by Azula and Zuko

Azula: _I've always been told that I'm crazy and brilliant!_

 _And it's clear that this is true, as the throne I will ascend!_

 _Aside from Dad, I'm the highest class,_

 _With blue lightning and sass!_

 _I've always been told that I'm crazy and brilliant!_

Zuko: _You're mad! That's clear_

Azula: _I've always been told that I'm crazy and brilliant!_

 _After all this time, I can see what they all meant._

 _I'm hearing voices out of empty air,_

 _And treason everywhere_

 _I've always been told that I'm crazy and brilliant!_

Zuko: _You're mad! That's clear!_

Azula ends her songs by collapsing back into her same position on the throne. Katara leans closer to Zuko and whispers to him. "She's definitely crazy, all right."

Zuko whispers back. "Yes. And what's more—she's paranoid. We can use this." He raises his voice to address his sister. "Azula, if you've already banished even the people you trusted most, how do you know that you can trust any of the people left behind?"

Azula fixes her frantic gaze on him. "I can't." she whispers. "They're all traitors."

Katara cottons on to what Zuko is trying to do. "But if everyone is a traitor, Azula," she says. "Wouldn't that make you a traitor too?"

Azula gasps in outrage, but then seems to consider Katara's argument. "Yes." She says finally, her voice shocked at her own betrayal.

Zuko nudges Katara with his elbow as if to encourage her, but then adds himself. "And what do you do with traitors, Azula?"

Azula rises to her feet once more. "I banish them! No exceptions! Not even for me!" She rips the ruby tiara off her head and throws it to the group before skipping offstage, gaily singing "Banishment, banishment!"

Katara and Zuko look at each other in slight bemusement. "Again, that was way too easy!" Katara says with a laugh. "I hope Aang's epic battle with Ozai is just as easy!"

The two exit the stage. Once they are gone, Ozai and Aang both enter from opposite sides, staring intently at each other. Each is wearing a light robe draped on his back and boxing gloves on his hands.

Reaching midstage, Ozai throws off his robe, leaving him shirtless. A wolf whistle sounds from offstage as an unseen female viewer catches sight of his muscles. The Fire Lord or Phoenix King or whatever he is smirks and winks towards the audience.

Mimicking Ozai's motion, Aang removes his robe as well, but his shirtless torso does not earn a wolf whistle. Instead, an uncomfortable cough sound is heard from offstage. If anything, Ozai's smirk becomes even wider.

"How can you even dream to beat me?" he asks Aang with a sneer. "You're still just a child!"

Aang jerks his head and a strong gust of air blows Ozai back and off of his feet.

"No." Aang says. "I'm the Avatar."

Conjuring more wind around him, he begins to sing:

 **"Should I Kill You?"**

To the tune of "We Will Rock You" by Queen

Sung by Aang

Aang: _Ozai, you're a brute_

 _We must uproot_

 _You went to attack the largest Earth city_

 _And says the Avatar,_

 _You went too far_

 _You have got so much to account for (I ask)_

 _Should I, should I kill you?_

 _Should I, should I kill you?_

 _I find this is so hard, so hard_

 _Make a choice for good_

 _'bout someone else's fate_

 _And as the Avatar_

 _I must be fair_

 _You can't be trusted with power to spare (I ask)_

 _Should I, should I kill you? (I ask)_

 _Should I, should I kill you?_

As Aang sings, Ozai attempts to attack him with fire, but is no match for the Avatar. Aang dodges out of the way of each attack while simultaneously meeting each burst of fire with counterattacks of rock, wind, water and—occasionally—even more fire. Yet while most of Aang's attacks hit home, it is clear that none are meant to be fatal blows; all are aimed at Ozai's legs or arms or—once—at his hair.

 _I have made my choice at last_

 _Gonna let you live_

 _Gonna strip away your fire powers_

 _For as the Avatar_

 _I won this spar_

 _And I'm gonna make sure that you stay behind bars_

 _I chose not to kill you! (That's right!)_

 _I chose not to kill you! (You heard me!)_

 _I chose not to kill you!_

 _I chose not to kill you!_

Finally, Ozai is left on his knees in the middle of the stage, panting for breath even though he was not the one singing. Aang traps his hands in stone handcuffs with a flick of his wrist. The other members of the Aang Gang enter from the back as Aang places his hand on Ozai's forehead. The Avatar's eyes and tattoos begin to glow, and the stage is filled with a soft blue light.

Ozai collapses. From the back of the stage, Sokka shouts, "Ding-dong, the witch is dead!" Then Ozai stirs slightly, and Sokka screams, his voice high-pitched. "Zombie!"

"No, Sokka!" Toph said. 'He was never dead."

Aang nodded. "I just took away his bending."

Zuko looks down at his father, an unreadable look on his face as he touches the scar over his eye. "So he can't hurt anyone anymore?"

"Never."

The Aang Gang cheers at the good news, and a number of other cast members rush onstage to join into their celebrations, including Bumi, Iroh, Suki, and—surprisingly—Mai, Ty Lee, and even the Cabbage Merchant. There is much hugging and high-fiving, patting Aang on the back for his wise decision. After a couple such back-pats, however, Aang announces to the whole group, "Can we please stop the back-patting? I was injured there not too long ago, you know!"

King Bumi only just manages to stop himself in time, switching to a bear hug instead. As everyone is celebrating, music begins to play and the entire company split into pairs and start waltzing to the music. The Aang Gang step to the front of the stage to separate themselves from the general shenanigans behind them. A spotlight centers on Zuko as he starts to sing the finale song.

 **"Peace at Last"**

To the tune of "Faithfully" by Journey

Sung by Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, Sokka, Aang and Katara

Zuko: _It's all done_

 _At last the good guys won_

 _And as the new Fire Lord_

 _I'll make things right_

 _With Aang's help_

 _We'll rebuild our might_

 _But this time we will rule through peace and love_

Ty Lee and Mai both drift to the front of the stage to join the Aang Gang. Ty Lee throws her arms enthusiastically around Toph and Katara's shoulders, and Mai tucks her arm into Zuko's With his free hand, Zuko conjures a fireball to wave over his head like a lighter.

Mai and Ty Lee: _We've both been redeemed and have what we need for happiness_

 _And we're so glad to embrace progress_

Zuko: _And soon I will start to search_

 _The world for my long-lost mom_

Following Ty Lee's lead, the group of the front of the stage link together and begin swaying in time to the music, with Aang in the very center of the line, Sokka and Katara to either side of him. The three of them take a step forward, creating their own three-person line.

All: _For now,_

 _The war has passed_

 _And at last we've found_

 _Peace at last_

Sokka: _Gathered here_

 _With all our friends around_

 _I want to save this moment for a while_

Aang and Katara turn to sing to each other during their respective solos, leaving Sokka on his own to sway by himself a little. He makes the most of it, however, waving his boomerang in the air above his head and closing his eyes as he gets into the music.

Aang: _And as for us_

 _I feel so much for you_

 _You're the one I needed to make it through_

Katara: _And though you realized this awhile before I did_

 _Now that we've had this moment on the roof_

 _I can't imagine living life without you_

All: _For now,_

 _The war has passed_

 _And at last we've found_

 _Peace at last_

 _Oh oh oh oh_

 _oh oh oh oh oh_

 _Oh oh oh oh oh, oh!_

 _Peace at last!_

 _We've found peace!_

 _For at last we've found,_

 _It's found,_

 _Peace at last!_

Even those castmembers who had been waltzing with each other in the background join the line to sing the last chorus together. Even Ozai and Azula are made to participate, unwillingly swaying with the others while being closely guarded by Iroh and Suki, respectively.

Toph and Zuko both step forward to join Aang, Katara and Sokka as the complete Aang Gang in the front of the stage. As the lights dim for the final time, the last view is of Aang being lifted onto his friends shoulders, his arms outstretched above his head in a victory pose.

Blackout.

The lights come back on an empty stage. Cast members enter to take their final curtain call, bowing and waving and blowing kisses to the audience. The last to take his bow is Aang, who enters riding on a ball of air, eating a cabbage like it is an apple. As the curtain closes, the Cabbage Merchant can be seen clapping a hand to his forehead in half-exasperation, half-outrage.

"My cabbages!"

END ACT


End file.
